Last weekend, Shanghai residents' social media feeds were captivated by blooming seas of flowers in Jing'an District.

On the opening day (April 18) of the inaugural Jing'an International Flower Show, as part of the Shanghai International Flower Festival, Suhewan MixC World recorded a footfall of 125,000 visitors, a 250% year-on-year (YoY) increase, setting a new record since its opening. Sales surged 231% YoY, with 23 brands achieving record-breaking performances since their debut. Consumer enthusiasm soared alongside the spring temperatures.

Another scene from this past weekend went viral across the internet: 101 West Highland Terriers, led by their owners, spontaneously gathered at the central greenbelt of Suzhou Creek Bay to take photos with the 5.2-meter-tall West Highland topiary sculpture, "The Scruffy Pup". The spectacular sight quickly flooded social media platforms.

Over the past weekend, within Suhewan MixC World, long queues formed outside many restaurants as numerous residents stopped to shop and dine after enjoying the floral displays. Along West Nanjing Road, the atmosphere was equally bustling—from interactive photo opportunities at the Tmall "One More Way to Live" themed exhibition area to the floral installations lining the street, the continuous flow of crowds infused the commercial district with vibrant spring energy. The inaugural weekend of the Jing'an International Flower Show highlighted the remarkable "sales-driving power" and social multiplier effect achieved by leveraging flowers as a medium to integrate culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and exhibitions.

May Day holiday follow-up: Light show illuminates night in Jing'an and "exhibition as consumption" takes on a new twist

With the May Day holiday approaching, Jing'an not only offers floral displays but also a major highlight: the Shining Jing'an Light and Shopping SHOW event, part of the Fourth Shining Shanghai Light Up Jing’an (2026), is also set to launch!

The event will run nightly from 19:00 to 22:00 between May 1 and May 5 (with select light installations continuing to be displayed from May 6 to May 10).

Under the theme "Enjoy the City, Embrace Renewal in 'Jing'an'", the event continues the "dual-circle linkage and simultaneous exhibition" model. It will be deeply integrated with the "May 5 Shopping Festival", the inaugural Jing'an International Flower Show, the Jing'an Drama Valley, the Shanghai Jing'an World Coffee Culture Festival, and other initiatives to foster a vibrant urban nighttime consumption scene.

The West Nanjing Road business district focuses on the exhibition area centered around Zhang Yuan, utilizing commercial spaces like Wujiang Road and North Maoming Road to create an extended light experience. It plans to stage the "Painting Realm" light show at the Taixing Road entrance passage of Zhang Yuan.

The "Flower Mambo" light show will be launched on North Maoming Road.

In line with the theme of the Jing'an International Flower Show, a themed light show, "Flower Years", will be staged in the Tongfu Garden area.

In the Suzhou Creek Bay business district, light installations will be set up along the waterfront platform, featuring a series of projection shows titled "Brilliant Night".

Additionally, during the event, an immersive light exhibition experience zone will be established, a special "Light and Shadow Coffee" will be launched, and an exclusive "Jing'an Go" consumption wristband will be introduced for the festival... A "non-stop, day-and-night" spring-summer light and shadow consumption party is set to begin!

What does this mean? This means your one-day visit to Jing'an for the May Day holiday can be planned like this: By day, you can continue to lose yourself in the sea of flowers. The inaugural Jing'an International Flower Show will run through May 10. The six parks and nine scenes in the central greenbelt of Suzhou Creek Bay, the floral installations along West Nanjing Road, and the floral competition exhibition at Tianhou Palace continue to welcome all flower enthusiasts. In the evening, you can find a spot brimming with hustle and bustle in the business district. The calories burned while admiring the flowers can be perfectly replenished with a delicious meal. At night, the spectacular light show begins. Whether it's admiring the light show, sipping coffee, enjoying exclusive discounts, or diving into shopping, you can experience it all in one seamless evening.