Jiashi County (伽师县) lies in Kashgar Prefecture in China’s far west and markets itself as “Sweet Jiashi” (甜蜜伽师) for its famous melons and apricots. What many travelers do not expect is that this calm oasis town also throws one of the warmer, more playful winter festivals in southern Xinjiang. On January 10, 2026, Jiashi launched its 2026 winter ice-and-snow tourism series at the Chengzhong Huyang Ecological Park (城中胡杨生态园) on the edge of the county town. The program mixes a snowy color run, traditional snow games, and comfort food — above all the signature 伽师羊火锅 (Jiashi lamb hotpot) — into a community celebration that is easy to join and genuinely local in flavor. If your Xinjiang winter plan is built around Kashgar, Jiashi makes a relaxed, low-cost day trip with a completely different rhythm from the ski slopes, and a welcome break from the long drives that northern resorts demand.
Jiashi’s 2026 Winter Ice & Snow Festival
On January 10, 2026, Jiashi County kicked off its 2026 winter ice-and-snow tourism series at the Chengzhong Huyang Ecological Park on the edge of the county town. The opening mixed a lion dance with traditional Uyghur dance, then launched straight into a “color run” along a snowy track — participants dashed through the cold grinning, and the energy set the tone for the season. Beyond the run, the program stacks snow tug-of-war (雪地拔河), snow football (雪地足球), and 押加 (a traditional standing-tug contest) alongside a food-and-culture zone serving warming 伽师羊火锅 and free handwritten spring couplets from local calligraphers. County tourism officials describe the goal plainly: turn Jiashi’s “cold resources” into a “hot economy” that supports rural revitalization and year-round tourism.
What Makes Jiashi Special in Winter
Jiashi is not a ski destination — it is a sweet-tempered oasis town best known for 伽师瓜 (Jiashi melon) and 新梅 (apricots), and the winter festival leans into that identity rather than pretending to be something else. The Chengzhong Huyang Ecological Park gives the events a pleasant leafy backdrop even in winter, and the whole program is built around participation: you are meant to run, pull, kick, and eat rather than spectate. That makes it a good half-day stop for travelers already in Kashgar Prefecture who want a playful, low-cost taste of local winter culture without the commitment of a ski resort.
The county’s agricultural identity is worth a moment. Jiashi is nationally known for the sweetness of its 伽师瓜 melons — a reputation so strong the fruit carries the town’s name across China — and for 新梅 apricots dried into a chewy, tangy snack found in every bazaar. Winter is the off-season for the orchards, but the festival leans on that sweetness anyway, with dried-fruit tastings and melon-themed branding that remind visitors why the oasis earns its “Sweet Jiashi” nickname even when the fields are frozen. It is a small, genuine detail that separates Jiashi from the more generic snow parks elsewhere, and it gives you a reason to linger at the food stalls rather than rush back to the car.
An Honest Note: No Downhill Ski Resort (Yet)
To set expectations clearly: Jiashi currently offers snow play and ice-themed festivals, not alpine downhill skiing. If your goal is to actually ski, you will want to pair a Jiashi visit with a real resort. The nearest substantial ski areas lie in neighboring prefectures — for example the resorts covered in our Aksu ski resorts guide to the north and the slopes in our Kizilsu ski resorts guide to the west. Think of Jiashi as the cultural, foodie counterpoint to those mountains: come for the lamb hotpot and the snow games, then head to the hills when you want to ride a lift.
Food and Culture You Should Not Miss
Food is the headline. 伽师羊火锅 is the festival’s signature warming dish, a mutton hotpot built for sub-zero evenings, and the county’s melon-and-apricot heritage shows up in sweets and dried fruit stalls. Culturally, Jiashi sits inside the same Uyghur traditions that define Kashgar, so you will hear the same music, see the same dance, and meet the same famed hospitality — just in a smaller, calmer setting. For travelers interested in the broader picture, our Xinjiang skiing guide explains how winter tourism fits into the region’s wider travel scene, while our best time to ski in Xinjiang piece helps you time a resort trip around the same winter window.
Planning Your Jiashi Winter Visit
Jiashi is about an hour’s drive from Kashgar city, so it works perfectly as a half-day or full-day excursion from a Kashgar base. The winter festival events are concentrated at the Chengzhong Huyang Ecological Park and are designed to be walked and joined spontaneously, so no advance booking is usually needed for the public games. Dress warmly, bring a camera for the lion dances and color run, and arrive hungry. If you want the slopes instead, use our where to ski in Xinjiang guide to pick a resort, and read our China skiing guide for national context before you fly in.
A Sample Half-Day Winter Itinerary
If you are basing in Kashgar, a Jiashi winter outing is easy to structure. Leave Kashgar mid-morning and arrive around the time the Chengzhong Huyang Ecological Park events are warming up. Start with the open snow games — the color run and snow tug-of-war are most active late morning — then drift to the food zone for 伽师羊火锅 and a cup of black tea to thaw out. Spend an hour or two wandering the park, watching the lion dances, and collecting a handwritten couplet if the calligraphy table is open. By early afternoon you can be back in Kashgar with the rest of the day free for the old town, the Id Kah Mosque, or the Sunday bazaar. The whole excursion costs little and asks nothing of your skiing ability, which is precisely why it works as a relaxed counterpoint to a more demanding resort day elsewhere in the region. Pack a spare pair of gloves if you plan to join the snow games, because the color-run powder gets everywhere and cold, damp hands end the fun early.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Jiashi have a ski resort?
No. Jiashi’s winter programming is built around ice-and-snow festivals, snow games, and food at the Chengzhong Huyang Ecological Park. For downhill skiing, pair it with resorts in nearby Aksu or Kizilsu.
When did the 2026 Jiashi winter festival start?
The 2026 winter ice-and-snow tourism series opened on January 10, 2026, at the Chengzhong Huyang Ecological Park with a lion dance, color run, and snow sports.
What activities are there at the Jiashi winter festival?
Highlights include a snowy color run, snow tug-of-war, snow football, 押加 (a traditional tug contest), handwritten spring couplets, and 伽师羊火锅 lamb hotpot.
How do I get to Jiashi from Kashgar?
Jiashi County is roughly an hour’s drive from Kashgar city, making it an easy half-day excursion. Most visitors base in Kashgar and drive over for the day.
Is Jiashi worth visiting if I only want to ski?
If skiing is your only goal, Jiashi alone will not satisfy you — there are no slopes. But as a cultural, food-focused winter day trip paired with a real resort, it adds genuine local flavor to a Kashgar-area winter.