A shopper's paradise with something for everyone
New landmarks will combine art and cultural activities together with shopping experiences.
The annual international shopping season and the 4th Shanghai Double Five Shopping Festival is in full swing, featuring a diverse range of cultural events and promotional campaigns throughout the city.
More than 1,000 campaigns from various business districts, retailers and online platforms are available, with a variety of coupons and discounts on offer.
The 2023 Bund Art Festival will be held during the shopping season at the Bund Finance Center and the Yuyuan Garden Malls.
Redefining the shopping experience
The city's unique neighborhoods, cultural landmarks, parks and urban spaces are transformed into signature venues, providing immersive experiences during the shopping season.
New landmarks combining art, cultural activities and shopping offer customers a dynamic experience. Outdoor spaces, particularly pedestrian streets, will be converted into shopping locations, highlighting the area's unique features and fashion trends.
The flagship Shanghai No. 1 Shopping Center on Nanjing Road E. will showcase an immersive performance space for musicals and stage plays. An integrated space for cartoon and animation fans, as well as gaming derivatives, is also available for Gen-Z shoppers.
Pedestrian streets
Several pedestrian streets in Shanghai, including Anyi Road, Maoming Road N., Fengjing Road and Kaitian Road, are bringing together fashion brands from home and abroad, along with a wide range of activities.
For example, Kaitian Road, in Changning District, has been transformed into a pedestrian street every weekend until mid-May, featuring entertainment, markets and food stalls. Night bazaars hosted by more than 50 brands mainly focused on sports, pets and camping, will take place on the street from Friday at 9pm to Monday at 6am until May 14.
On weekends from May 7 to 28, the weekend market on Fengjing Road at the Bund Finance Center will feature more than 70 art and fashion brands, as well as talented young artists offering doodling and handcraft workshops.
The night fair on Anyi Road in Jing'an District will combine elements of coffee, drama and jazz to provide diverse experiences, while flash mob performances will be available on Maoming Road N., home to the century-old shikumen (stone-gate) neighborhood of Zhangyuan.
Waterfront fun
Dozens of waterfront spaces in Shanghai, such as the North Bund, Shanghai Suhewan MIXC World and Tian An 1000 Trees shopping mall, provide opportunities for water-based activities and experiences.
Visitors can take a Suzhou Creek cruise that offers two options, one lasting for an hour and the other for 30 minutes. The longer voyage runs between Changfeng Park and Changhua Road piers, while the other operates between Waitanyuan Pier and Sihang Warehouse Pier.
As one of the stops on the cruise service is near the Tian An 1000 Trees, the shopping mall offers customers a joint ticket for the Suzhou Creek cruise and afternoon tea at its popular terrace restaurants.
Suzhou Creek, a 125-kilometer waterway that flows from Taihu Lake in neighboring Jiangsu Province, has played a crucial role in Shanghai's history since the city opened its port to the world in 1843.
Shopping sites
Digital retailers are going all out this year, offering even deeper discounts than before to incentivize consumption both online and offline.
Meituan is offering subsidies and coupons for a wide range of physical retailers, as well as online deliveries, hotel bookings and tourism spending.
Dingdong Maicai's annual sales event, which starts on May 4, will feature fresh food coupons, discounts on famous brands like OATLY and Wall's, and a variety of food items like pre-cooked dishes, barbecue food, crawfish and seasonal fruits.
Pinduoduo, a local shopping site, is offering deep discounts not only on imported goods but also on Shanghai's traditional and time-honored brands.
Movie tickets for all regular 2D and 3D evening screenings after 9pm at local cinemas will be priced no higher than 49.9 yuan (US$7.22) from May 5 to June 5.
Camping will be offered at the newly-open rooftop Raffles Park in Hongkou District.
Culture, sports and entertainment
From May 5 to June 5, movie tickets for all regular 2D and 3D evening screenings after 9pm at local cinemas will be priced no higher than 49.9 yuan (US$7.22).
The 2023 Bund Art Festival will take place from May 6 to 31 at the Bund Finance Center and the Yuyuan Garden Malls, featuring a variety of cultural and art programs such as exhibitions, bazaars and workshops. Notably, cartoonist TANGO will showcase a cat-themed series and create cat doodles for visitors, while Fangbang Road M. will be transformed into a cat-themed street.
For sports enthusiasts, the newly opened rooftop Raffles Park in Hongkou District will offer paddle tennis, frisbee and flag football, as well as rooftop camping services and interactive games until May 28.
At the Longhua Temple Fair, visitors can immerse themselves in the vibrant folk culture and customs of China, and witness age-old intangible cultural heritage alongside modern makeovers.
Additionally, new bicycle routes will be launched in major commercial areas of Huangpu District, such as Xintiandi, Nanjing Road and Huaihai Road M. Visitors can discover stylish small stores and restaurants as they explore more of the city's charm.
Sports lovers can also join various programs like paddle tennis, frisbee and flag football in the park.
Art exhibitions will also be hosted during the shopping season.
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Editor: Fu Rong
Designer: Melo ZhangWriter: Ding YiningPhoto: Ti GongSource: Shine