Jing'an's first-ever 'Nightlife Season' takes off in style

Shanghai's Jing'an District has launched its first-ever "Nightlife Season," aiming to set a new benchmark for the city's after-dark culture. From landmark light projections to glowing parasols, a dazzling program of installations is casting the district in theatrical hues, turning Jing'an into a dynamic hub for fashion, leisure, and upscale experiences long after sunset.

Anchored on Wujiang Road, the festival connects three of the district's marquee destinations – HKRI Taikoo Hui, Zhangyuan Garden and Fengshengli – into a vibrant night-time ecosystem of markets, terrace dining, public art and outdoor events.

Each venue contributes its own character: HKRI Taikoo Hui blends creativity with art-driven retail; Zhangyuan Garden merges historic heritage with contemporary entertainment; and Fengshengli focuses on food and social life. Together they form one of Shanghai's most ambitious experiments in building a modern night economy that bridges tradition and innovation.

"The Louis," Louis Vuitton's cruise boat-style cultural and commercial landmark, is anchored at HKRI Taikoo Hui. It combines exhibition, food and retail, proof of the allure of Shanghai and China as attractions for international business.

Also, visitors can browse a curated night market featuring artisanal food, open-air theater, live performances and VR (virtual reality) immersive experiences. To amplify the cultural atmosphere, the mall has also unveiled "Ocean Encounters," a public art exhibition created with artists from China, the United Kingdom and Japan. Through large-scale installations and interactive displays, the show reimagines the shopping complex as a vast seascape, inviting audiences to reflect on the dialogue between urban life and nature.

Zhangyuan Garden – one of the largest surviving shikumen complexes in Shanghai – has extended its opening hours to midnight during the festival. Alongside the historic alleys, visitors can sample five specialty beers and four new cocktails designed to capture the spirit of summer nights.

A headline draw is the area's partnership with Disney China for a Zootopia-themed pop-up. The immersive event recreates scenes from the hit animation film and includes themed shops. Luxury names like Givenchy and Diptyque are also seizing the moment, staging global premieres and exclusive showcases that reinforce Jing'an's growing reputation as a magnet for high-end retail.

Fengshengli, meanwhile, is leaning into Shanghai's appetite for trendy dining and nightlife. Along Maoming Road N., restaurants and cafés are extending hours and expanding outdoor seating, offering everything from international cuisine to inventive cocktails. Its blend of stylish venues and social buzz has made it a hotspot for younger crowds looking for fresh late-night experiences.

To bring more people into the mix, the district has rolled out the "Jing'an Night Sail Pass". The pass links nearly 1,000 merchants – from malls and hotels to restaurants and theaters – and offers discounts, gifts and reward points, creating a cross-sector consumption loop.

Its daytime counterpart passes, introduced earlier this year, were seized within hours, highlighting how integrated ticketing can extend consumer journeys across exhibitions, cafés, historic sites and shopping centers.

But the festival isn't just about shopping and dining. The cultural lineup is equally robust: immersive theater productions like "Sleep No More," live music at Paramount Livehouse and the Majestic Theatre, open-air film screenings, street performances and artist-led exhibitions that spill into public squares.

Themed routes link cultural landmarks such as the Shanghai Natural History Museum and the Picasso Art Center, offering nighttime tours that blend history, architecture and contemporary art. For younger audiences, even fitness finds a place, with late-night yoga and aerobics sessions lighting up outdoor plazas.

By weaving commerce, culture and creativity together, Jing'an's "Nightlife Season" reflects how urban districts are reinventing themselves after dark. More than a festival, it's a test case for Shanghai's ambitions to build a globally competitive night economy – one where lifestyle, heritage and innovation thrive side by side.