Shanghai Unveils Grand Plans for Major Festive Celebrations

Hundreds of new year celebrations and promotional activities will be staged over the next two months in Shanghai, covering major festive occasions such as New Year's Day, Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival, city officials told a press briefing on Tuesday.

Key commercial districts, shopping streets, major retail enterprises, and e-commerce platforms are pulling out all stops and over a hundred major consumer promotion events will be held, according to Shanghai Commerce Commission Deputy Director Liu Min.

During the New Year period, a total of 300 distinctive events will be held, including 132 cultural performances, 13 concerts, and 134 cultural and art exhibitions.

For the Spring Festival holiday in mid-February, nearly 400 special events will be staged, including more than 120 cultural performances, multiple concerts, and nearly 60 major exhibitions.

Trade-in incentives for vehicles, home appliances, and home furnishings are expected to be extended into the next year and the details are scheduled to be unveiled on Wednesday.

Throughout the city's key commercial districts, themed consumer experiences have been curated, including Year of the Horse decorations, festive cuisines, new product launches, specialty bazaars, themed exhibitions, cinema entertainment, winter sports activities and leisure events.

Over 50 domestic and international brands plan to launch a range of limited-edition Year of the Horse products.

A special gifting season for inbound consumers will be held in parallel with the new year's period and targeted promotions, including departure tax refund gifts and instant discounts for foreign bank cardholders at major shopping destinations.

The nighttime economy is another spotlight, with five popular landmarks staging light installations alongside five signature activities such as theater performances, snow decorations, lantern viewing, garden tours and exhibitions.

During the New Year celebrations, 19 national-level or higher sporting events are to be held in Shanghai.

At the same time, over 40 sports events for the general public are also scheduled, promoting positive and healthy lifestyles and ushering in a new year vibe full of fitness spirit and sporty enthusiasm.