A Season of Lanterns and Lively Markets

Every Spring Festival, Shanghai begins to glow, wrapped in lantern light and festive color. Lanterns flicker against old brick walls, riverfront skylines shimmer in gold and crimson, opera drums echo through open plazas, and the scent of freshly made rice cakes drifts through historic lanes.

For the Year of the Horse, the city is going all in. From century-old gardens illuminated with digital light art to waterfront plazas turned into open-air stages, this year's celebrations blend heritage, design, performance and lifestyle culture in ways that feel both rooted and refreshingly modern.

Here are 10 Spring Festival markets and lantern fairs worth planning your days and evenings around.

1. Yuyuan Garden Lantern Fair

Shanghai's most iconic lantern show returns larger than ever this year. The 36-day celebration stretches beyond Yuyuan Garden Malls to connect BFC and parts of the Bund, forming a six-zone immersive walking route that links history, fashion, technology and city life.

The Folk Art Lantern Zone remains the heart of the show, where traditional craftsmanship meets digital lighting. A rotating lantern installation showcases Chinese New Year customs, while a dramatic horse-themed lantern gallops through illuminated blossoms in celebration of the zodiac year.

At the Zigzag Bridge, lanterns inspired by ancient star systems and mythical creatures shimmer across the water. Visitors can even interact with select light displays via mobile phones. Add daily lighting ceremonies, street performances, festive markets and seasonal dining menus, and it becomes an all-evening experience.

Date: Through March 3

Venue: Yuyuan Garden Malls

豫园商城

Address: 265 Fangbang Road M., Huangpu District

黄浦区方浜中路265号

2. Waterfront Spring Festival

Along the Huangpu River, drums and opera melodies float through the winter air as the West Bund transforms into a living cultural stage.

The Waterfront Spring Festival brings Chinese opera, shadow puppetry, lion dances and folk music out of theaters and into open plazas. Large-scale installations reinterpret traditional opera headwear and oil-paper umbrellas through contemporary design, creating shifting scenes from day to night.

Markets add warmth to the riverside stroll. A New Year goods market gathers regional flavors and lifestyle brands, while an intangible cultural heritage market highlights traditional crafts like bamboo weaving and classical rubbing techniques. Workshops invite visitors to slow down and create something by hand.

Date: Through March 4

Venue: GATE M West Bund Dream Center

西岸梦中心

Address: 2266 Longteng Ave, Xuhui District

徐汇区龙腾大道2266号

3. Heritage Now Festival at Shanghai Xintiandi

Lantern light, street music and warm food set the tone at Xintiandi's Heritage Now Festival.

Through March 3, the entire neighborhood becomes a layered cultural landscape. Light installations glow above the lanes, live music drifts through courtyards, and roaming performances appear throughout the day.

A limited-time Chinese New Year market brings together handcrafted goods and creative brands, while seasonal menus and hands-on workshops offer moments to pause and participate. It's festive, but relaxed – the kind of place you wander without an agenda.

Date: Through March 3

Venue: Shanghai Xintiandi

上海新天地

Address: Xintiandi area, Huangpu District

黄浦区新天地区域

4. Pop Mart Spring Garden Fair at BFC

Pop Mart is bringing playful energy to the Bund with a palace-lantern-themed carousel installation in BFC's North Plaza.

Under traditional red eaves, glowing light boxes showcase classic IP characters, while a Labubu light installation adds a whimsical touch. Fengjing Road transforms into a softly-lit corridor of Chinese-style lanterns, creating a dreamy strolling experience.

From February 20 to 23, performances, intangible heritage crafts and festive markets fill the plaza. Expect sugar painting, traditional accessories, roaming God of Wealth appearances and plenty of photo-ready corners.

Date: Through March 3

Venue: BFC Bund Finance Center

外滩金融中心

Address: 600 Zhongshan Rd E2, Huangpu District

黄浦区中山东二路600号

5. 'Glow of the Galloping Steed' Lantern Season

The INLET welcomes the Year of the Horse with a multi-week cultural season centered on horse imagery.

The program includes themed lantern exhibitions, creative markets, Chinese New Year shopping, folk performances and interactive workshops. The lantern displays blend festive symbolism with contemporary aesthetics, creating an immersive visual journey.

A curated Chinese New Year pop-up by Giftopia adds design-forward gifts and interactive experiences, making it a destination for both culture lovers and style seekers.

Date: Through March 3

Venue: The INLET

今潮8弄

Address: Lane 989, Sichuan Rd N., Hongkou District

虹口区四川北路989弄

6. Panlong Xintiandi Lantern Fair

When night falls over Panlong Xintiandi, 17 lantern installations illuminate bridges, alleyways and whitewashed walls, turning the historic water-town setting into a luminous dreamscape.

Five intangible heritage lantern styles take center stage, from delicate hand-painted lanterns to boneless paper lanterns and fish-shaped lights symbolizing abundance.

The Spirited Festival fair adds hands-on experiences: writing spring couplets, woodblock printing, sugar figurines and traditional snacks. Visitors can admire lanterns by an old stone bridge, then step into a café nearby, where tradition and modern life coexisting naturally.

Date: Through March 3

Venue: Panlong Xintiandi

蟠龙新天地

Address: No. 8, Lane 123, Panding Rd, Qingpu District

青浦区蟠鼎路123弄8号

7. 'Hundred Markets All Good Luck'

If your Chinese New Year ritual involves browsing for small treasures, this pedestrian-street market delivers.

Set along the outdoor street of Bailian Youyicheng Shopping Mall, the market gathers handcrafted décor, vintage-style accessories, incense, pressed-flower frames and cultural creative goods. It's easy to lose an afternoon here.

Food stalls selling preserved fruits and festive snacks add to the leisurely atmosphere. Mornings are ideal if you prefer a quieter, unhurried experience.

Date: Through February 23

Venue: Bailian Youyicheng Shopping Mall

百联又一城购物中心

Address: 8 Songhu Rd, Yangpu District

杨浦区淞沪路8号

8. Qingxi Old Street 'Horse-Year Light Awakening'

This thousand-year-old street turns into a glowing fantasy for the Spring Festival season.

A winged Pegasus lantern installation serves as the visual centerpiece, blending zodiac symbolism with water-town scenery. As night falls, lights reflect off canals and stone paths, creating a softly cinematic atmosphere.

Beyond lantern viewing, Qingxi hosts communal long-table banquets under covered corridors, where local dishes are freshly prepared by neighborhood vendors.

Folk parades, heritage workshops and daily performances run throughout the festival period, offering a slower-paced but deeply immersive celebration.

Date: Through March 3

Venue: Qingxi Old Street

青溪老街

Address: 2765 Nanfeng Highway, Fengxian District

奉贤区南奉公路2765号

9. CNY Celebrations at Shanghai Disney Resort

This Spring Festival, Pudong is glowing a little brighter as Shanghai Disney Resort welcomes the Year of the Horse with a celebration that blends Disney magic and traditional Chinese festivity.

Through March 3, the resort transforms with zodiac-inspired décor, festive music and special performances. Mickey and Minnie appear in traditional outfits to ring in the season alongside guests. A special highlight this year is the debut of "Bullseye" from Pixar's Toy Story universe, who joins the daily ceremony and brings playful Year of the Horse energy to the park.

Across the resort, horse-themed lanterns hang along Mickey Avenue, zodiac murals receive a festive refresh, and photo installations featuring Bullseye draw steady crowds. Attractions like the Fantasia Carousel and Woody's Roundup are also dressed for the season.

As night falls, the castle lights up with a special Spring Festival nighttime spectacular, complete with fireworks and a glowing "马 (horse)" character illuminating the sky.

Date: Through March 3

Venue: Shanghai Disney Resort

上海迪士尼度假区

Address: 310 Huangzhao Rd, Chuansha Town, Pudong New Area

浦东新区川沙镇黄赵路310号

10. "Lucky From Horse" CNY Celebrations in Wuzhen

A short trip from Shanghai, Wuzhen's water-town celebration blends folk traditions, theater, technology and culture into more than 60 activities.

International art troupes transform bridges and alleyways into open-air stages, while daily parades and performances unfold across the ancient town.

The renowned Long Street Banquet gathers visitors along extended tables to share local delicacies in a warm reunion atmosphere.

The revived Floating Chinese New Year Market sends goods boats along ancient waterways, recreating a centuries-old trading tradition and offering a different kind of festive stroll.

Date: Through March 3

Venue: Wuzhen

乌镇

How to Get There:

By train: Take a high-speed railway train from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station or Shanghai South Railway Station to Jiaxing City, and then take a bus or a taxi to Wuzhen. There is a direct shuttle bus from Jiaxing Bus Center to Wuzhen.

By bus: Take a long-distance bus from Shanghai East Bus Station to Wuzhen. It takes around 2 hours.