Qiantan Flower Exhibition to Open on April 18

As Shanghai increases its spring program of large-scale public events, the 2026 Shanghai International Flower Show's Pudong Qiantan sub-venue will open at Taikoo Li Qiantan on April 18 and run until May 10.

The exhibit, organized by the Lujiazui Group, focuses on a 2km riverside flower trail along the Huangpu River, which connects public waterfront space with key commercial sites and blends green space with urban retail and leisure.

The primary axis is a 1.5km hydrangea promenade from Qiantan Youcheng Park's media plaza to Qiantan Leisure Park's rose garden.

Blue, pink and crimson hydrangea bands with shade-tolerant ground cover form a riverside floral corridor. The circuit will have a historic miniature train with views of the gardens and harbor.

Crystal Plaza and New Bund Red Lane will be transformed into a European-style garden boulevard inspired by London's Chelsea Flower Show. For 800 meters, five rose-covered arches will flank the roadway, and roughly 30 stores will have floral facades. Giraffe, dove, and rabbit installations will be placed throughout the area.

In conjunction with the festival, Qiantan Leisure Park will open its second ecological garden on Pudong's waterfront. Ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation, native planting, and environmental education are combined in a 1,000sqm public green space.

The park will feature "Shikumen of Time," an installation created by CueCraft, a student-led organization at Hiba Academy Shanghai. The project was led by 16-year-old Rong Yicheng.

The walk-through sculpture, inspired by the city's historic shikumen (stone-gate) lane houses, consists of 100 suspended, multi-colored acrylic panels, ambient audio recordings from traditional neighborhoods, and nighttime lighting effects.

More than 100 events are planned for the festival's 23-day run, including a performance at Qiantan Sports Park on April 25. Additional programming, such as ecological activities, marketplaces, and daily events, will be available during the festival.