Shanghai has launched a series of diverse nighttime events to meet growing demand for entertainment, as residents and tourists seek out breezy evenings during summer vacation.
Yuyuan Garden, a landmark cultural and historical resort, opened for nighttime tours from Friday, offering visitors their first chance to experience the classical garden with Chinese aesthetics illuminated after dark. The program features 24 themed lighting displays to bring the site's architecture and history to life. To protect cultural relics and ensure an immersive experience, tours are conducted in small guided groups of 20.
To satisfy late-night cravings, the city has launched its sixth snack festival on the same day, running for 10 days until August 17. The night fairs have not only been presenting the all-time favorites like pumpkin cakes and sizzling squids, but also featured traditional local snacks like pan-fried wontons, as well as delicacies from all around China.
Local businesses are hoping the attractions will spur consumption.
"We usually see 20,000 to 30,000 visitors a day, but this time we are planning to break the record. As long as there's no significant bad weather, we are aiming for 300,000 total visitors, and up to 20 million yuan in nighttime spending," said Wu Xingbao, the Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the Shanghai Commercial Association.
Shanghai holds nighttime cultural tours, food festivals to boost consumption
