The Sapporo Snow Festival featuring huge elaborate snow statues is held mainly at Odori Park. It is a spectacular festival that attracts no fewer than two million people every year during its seven-day run in February. Although the first Sapporo Snow Festival started in 1950 with six snow statues built by some local high school students, it has gradually developed into an international festival that organizes contests for foreigners as well as locals.
(札幌の雪祭りは、大通公園を中心に並ぶ巨大な雪像が名物。毎年2月の1週間の間に200 万人もの人が訪れる壮大な祭典である。1950年に地元の中高校生たちにより制作された6つの雪像がはじまりのこの雪祭りは、今や地元だけでなく外国からの参加者を募りコンテストを行う世界的祭典へと発展した)