Will be visiting Harbin on 24 Dec'16 to 1 Jan'17, has the Ice and Snow Festival begin?

Hi Joanna,
This is my 3rd Winter in the city, and the festival usually opens around Christmas Day, so you should be able to go. Be sure to invest in good clothes and boots. At the actual festival it feels -40 to -45 degrees celcius because of all the surrounding ice. It's worth it though!

Actually it seems like the festival might be opening on Feb 5th this time around so you might actually just miss it :(

However, the dates are sometimes not stuck to, so you might find that they actually open early. It is going to be peak tourist season around Christmas afterall...

My earlier visit. Pre-opening around Christmas for Snow sculptures, a little cheaper but not all items are fully ready. e.g.: the snowmen were not wearing caps, but they were there already.
Ice sculptures are in Zhong Yang DaJie (the main tourist street and good to go.)
Ice sculpture park is also near ZhongYang DaJie.
If you got a chance, a locally organised mountain trek by adventurers group could be very low-cost. Visit a village with fine-salt-like snow, so fine and powdery to make snowman. Trek mountain with excellent natural snow scenery (much like mushrooms sculptures). A two days event.
Buy the Russian smoke sausage (ChunLi-Li DaoShi). Excellent.