Khövsgöl Ice Festival
Traditional and popular parties · Khatgal (Khövsgöl Lake), Mongolia
The festival
When Lake Khövsgöl freezes — up to more than a metre of ice measured by the authorities — Khatgal, at its southern tip, celebrates on the water become white plain. The Khövsgöl Ice Festival, also called Blue Pearl Ice Lake's nickname, "Blue Pearl", was born to make known this great freshwater lake of northern Mongolia and defend its protection.
Horse-drawn sled races, ice archery, skating, ice fighting and sculptures are taking place in early March; the recent edition opened on March 2 in Khatgal. An extreme winter party, joyful and fragile, laid on a lake that is crossed on foot.
Good to know
Existence, venue and period verified: The UB Post (Mongol National Press, Open and Read article) — annual international ice festival, opened on March 2 in Khatgal, under the slogan "Amazing Khuvsgul", with archery on ice, horse sled races, skating, ice fighting and poetry contest "Blue Cup"; the thickness of ice measured by the Governor's working group ranged from 96 cm to 1.44 m. The festival is also known as the Blue Pearl Ice Festival (the Blue Pearl, the lake's nickname). Guides announce March 2 to 4, 2027 without official source: not retained as "Advertised Date", keeping in "Ordinary Period" early March. No site specific to the festival identified: official left empty.