Celebrate the cold with ice sculptures in Alaska, dog sledding in Quebec, and more. In the legendary resort town of St. Moritz, Switzerland, it's possible to watch horse racing even in the winter. But White Turf is nothing like the Kentucky Derby. Instead of a traditional track, riders on skis are pulled by thoroughbreds galloping 35 mph in a sport known as "skijoring." It costs 16 Swiss francs (about $13; see xe.com for current exchange rates) to watch the races, which take place on three Sundays in February. Learn more about this and other snow-centric festivals in a recent article by Associate Editor Molly Feltner. (Photo: Skijoring at White Turf in St. Moritz, Switzerland. swiss-image.ch/Andy Mettler.) In the legendary resort town of St. Moritz, Switzerland, it's possible to watch horse racing even in the winter. But White Turf is nothing like the Kentucky Derby. Instead of a traditional track, riders on skis are pulled by thoroughbreds galloping 35 mph in a sport known as "skijoring." It costs 16 Swiss francs (about $13; see xe.com for current exchange rates) to watch the races, which take place on three Sundays in February. Learn more about this and other snow-centric festivals in a recent article by Associate Editor Molly Feltner. (Photo: Skijoring at White Turf in St. Moritz, Switzerland. swiss-image.ch/Andy Mettler.) If other winter celebrations feature the arts of ice carving and snow sculpting, the ESPN Winter X Games are decidedly more action-packed. With events like the Snowboard Superpipe, the Snowmobile SnoCross, and Skier X, there's an abundance of heart-racing action in store. This year, the games will be held in Aspen from January 25 to 28. Read more here. (Photo: ESPN) The Fiddler sculpture shown here won first place in the abstract category at the 2006 World Ice Art Championships. For more on the Fairbanks, Alaska, competition, read our article. (Photo: Ice Alaska) For a small-town take on the winter festival, Vermont's Stowe Winter Carnival is sure to please. Held from January 19 to 21, the carnival is a family-friendly celebration with events such as Village Night (shown here), fireworks and more. Most events are free. Read more in our article. (Photo: Landwehrle Photography) At Minnesota's St. Paul Winter Carnival, spectators can enjoy parades, snow and ice sculptures, and winter sports competitions, many of which are free or discounted with the purchase of a $5 button. Read more about the Carnival here. (Photo: Saint Paul RiverCentre Convention & Visitors Authority) The opening ceremonies for Carnaval de Quebec pictured above are just the beginning of more than two weeks (January 26 to February 11) of 300-plus events, ranging from parades to a "snow bath" to dogsled rides. Most events are free, though some charge small admission fees. Read more in Molly Feltner's article. (Photo: Carnaval de Quebec) Time For Tea came in third in the multi-block "realistic" category at last year's World Ice Art Championships. Read more here. (Photo: Ice Alaska) From January 26-28, some of the best ice carvers around will be chipping away at their art on the shores of Canada's Lake Louise. Visitors can watch as huge blocks of frozen water are transformed into Ice Magic for the competiton of the same name. You can search for accommodations at the host resort, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Read more about the competition here. (Photo: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise) For an Asian take on winter, Japan's Sapporo Snow Festival features hundreds of ice and snow sculptures, some as big as real temples. Read more here. (Photo: Japan National Tourist Organization) Possession finished just fifth in the multi-block category at World Ice Art Championships, but its otherworldly feel made it a SmarterTravel.com favorite. Read more about the Alaska event here. (Photo: Ice Alaska)
Image Gallery
St. Moritz
St. Moritz
ESPN Winter X Games
Fairbanks, Alaska
Stowe, Vermont
St. Paul Carnival
Carnaval de Quebec
Fairbanks, Alaska
Banff/Lake Louise
Sapporo, Japan
Fairbanks, Alaska
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