Ulaanbaatar
Blue Pearl ice festival attracts over 8,000 visitors
Art & CultureUlaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The annual ice festival took place for the 17th time this year, highlighting the winter beauty of the Lake Khuvsgul, the deepest and clearest lake in Mongolia, on March 3-4.
The festival has attracted more than 70 handcraft traders, over 50 foreign tourists and 8,000 Mongolians. For the two days, the regular events such as art concert, bonfire party and shamanist rites were performed.
The festival is called Blue Pearl. Game of sliding on the frozen lake is the traditional game of Mongolians dating back to ancient times. Mongolian president’s participation in this year’s ice festival was an effort to promote the tourist attraction to this winter festivity.
Year by year, a number of foreign tourists watching the festival has been increasing, as the event challenges the speed and aim of the participants throughout the day in the untouched beauty of the surrounding landscape and on the frozen blue lake. The scope has been expanded with international participants, adding international status to the ice festival.
