Entertainment
A town “pulled by trains”
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HARBIN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) — In a snow-covered small town, tourists swarmed into a century-old Russian-style house, sipping steaming fruit tea and enjoying the icy landscape through the window.
Dubbed “a town pulled by trains,” Hengdaohezi, located in the city of Hailin in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, was originally established in the late 19th century when Russians built train maintenance workshops and other facilities there following the construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway.
Thanks to the 256 well-preserved Russian-style buildings built since then, including six under state-level protection, the exotic town has become a hot tourist destination, especially in winter, featuring captivating ice and snow resources.
Wang Xue, hailing from north China’s Tianjin Municipality, dropped by the town for a brief tour after skiing in the provincial capital of Harbin.
“The snow scenes in Hengdaohezi are beautiful and full of exotic charm. It is an ideal place for photoshoots with its magnificent view,” Wang said.
Song Xingwen, who is enthusiastic about Russian culture, first visited Hengdaohezi in 2018 and instantly fell in love with the town. He then bought a century-old Russian-style house there and transformed it into a homestay.
“I retained the original style of the house during the decoration, and moved my collections of Russian antiques here,” said Song. “My homestay has become a ‘Russian-style household museum’ popular among tourists.”
In addition to Russian-style houses, the town has also developed a series of tourist attractions such as a Siberian tiger forest park and a movie and TV play shooting resort.
According to Ma Lina, a keeper at the town’s Siberian tiger forest park, winter is the best time for tourists to visit the park. “Tigers are more active in freezing weather and their skins in the snow appear brighter.”
Since the opening of a high-speed railway traversing through Hengdaohezi in 2018, the town has seen a surge in visitors.
It has received about 1 million tourists so far this year compared to approximately 800,000 in 2018, according to the local tourism bureau.
Wei Hongmei, Party chief of Hailin City, said that with Hengdaohezi becoming a tourism hotspot, the city has been continuing to foster its tourism industry in recent years and regularly holds tourist activities, including an ice and snow festival and a winter fishing event.
“We are striving to turn our ice and snow resources into a booming economy,” Wei said.
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Emirates Dubai 7s is returning to The Sevens Stadium from November 27 to 29, with tickets now on sale for the three-day sports and entertainment festival.
The 2026 edition will bring together international rugby, amateur sports, live music and family entertainment, with organisers promising a bigger programme than previous years.
The festival attracted more than 88,000 visitors in 2025 and will again take place during the final weekend of the Dubai Fitness Challenge.
Ticket prices
Ticket prices for General Admission and Hospitality have stayed the same for a third consecutive year.
Three-day General Admission tickets cost Dh595 per person, while the three-day Family Pass is Dh1,136 for two adults and two children.
Other ticket options
- Group pass: Dh446 per person for four or more adults
- Saturday or Sunday: Dh455
- Friday: Dh75
- Under 15s: Free
- People of Determination + carer: Dh375
Tickets can be purchased through the Emirates Dubai 7s website and app.
Bigger family attractions
Family entertainment will get a major boost this year as the UAE celebrates the Year of the Family.
The festival will feature its biggest-ever Kids’ Zone, including the UAE’s largest inflatable kids’ zone, along with a Ferris wheel and zipline. More attractions are expected to be announced ahead of the event.
Six sports and top rugby action
Alongside elite rugby, visitors can watch or take part in competitions across six sports — rugby, netball, cricket, WODON3 fitness, Rebound padel and Gaelic Football.
Gaelic Football will join the festival for the first time in 2026.
The Sevens Stadium will also host the opening round of the HSBC SVNS Series 2027, bringing the world’s leading rugby sevens players to Dubai.
The WODON3 Elite final will take place on Pitch 1 between HSBC SVNS matches, with competitors potentially performing in front of crowds of up to 20,000.
Music all weekend
Live entertainment will run throughout the festival, with local and international artists performing across three days.
Last year’s line-up included Tinie Tempah, Sean Paul and Fisher, while the 2026 headline acts will be announced later.
For a premium experience, The Sunroom returns with all-inclusive food and drinks, shaded seating, prime sporting views and dedicated access. Packages start from Dh1,925 per person.
With sport, music and family attractions packed into one weekend, Emirates Dubai 7s is gearing up for another big Dubai event.
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