MNN - Mother Nature Network

Visitors to the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival descend a colorful slide constructed out of ice blocks on Jan. 5 in Hwacheon, South Korea.

 

Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the tiny town of Hwacheon, located just south of the North Korean border, to participate in the mountain trout ice fishing competition and see intricate ice block sculptures and castles. Other activites available include ice skating, sledding and riding ATVs or go-carts on the ice.

 

Hundreds of anglers cast lines through holes in a frozen river on Jan. 5 during the ice fishing competition at the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival.

 

A child looks through a hole into a frozen river during the ice fishing competition.

 

A child shows off his catch.

 

Visitors walk through a venue filled with intricate ice block sculptures.

 

Visitors pose for photos next to ice block sculptures lit up by colorful lights at the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival.