Horse racing competition at the Ice and Snow Nadam Festival on Jan 16, 2016. [Photo/CFP]

The 11th Ice and Snow Nadam Festival began at Xilin Gol league in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Saturday.

Cultural and artistic activities, and a series of competitions will be held during the month-long event, among them a Mongolian winter costume competition, archery, wrestling and horse racing are the most popular.

The Ujimqin banner at Wuliyasitai county, where the festival is held, borders Mongolia in the north. Average temperature at Wuliyasitai is about 2.6 degrees Celsius, with the frozen season lasting five months.