Nanjing Road's 'Garden Nights' Initiative Aims to Enhance the Nighttime Economy
Shanghai's Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall has launched its "Garden Nights" event at Century Square, which features outdoor seating and dining areas to boost nighttime tourism.
The event runs through August 31, extending venue operations and street lighting until 11:30pm daily.
The newly opened "green hill" area has brand food trucks serving unique local food and drinks.
Time-honored brand Taikang serves spring onion biscuit-flavored ice cream, blending a 1959 savory recipe into sweet ice cream.
Deqiang Winery pairs traditional rice wine culture with Remy Martin cognac for summer cocktail mixes.
LaFonte offers Chinese herbal coffee, mung bean cakes, and butterfly pastry, while Haagen-Dazs has a flower-themed ice cream cart with gift boxes for the Qixi and Mid-Autumn festivals.
Nightly street music performances include classical string ensembles, Shanghai fusion, and energetic pop bands.
The outdoor initiative covers shopping centers along the commercial street, including New World City, Bailian ZX, and traditional food stores along Shaanxi Road S.
Sales at participating time-honored stores have jumped over 10 percent since the pedestrian street extended operating hours during previous trial runs.
Foot traffic along Nanjing Road reached 322,000 visitors on June 26 for the summer launch, while total visits hit 2.7 million during the seven-day G-Power festival week.
If u go
Date: Through August 31, daily until 11:30pm
Venue: Century Square, Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall, Huangpu District, Shanghai
Highlights: Outdoor food trucks, live street music, green hill seating, and night shopping
Tax Refunds: Available at the Meilun Building of the Bund Central, 139 Nanjing Rd E.
Payments: Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay, and select foreign credit cards supported
Transport: Metro Line 1, 2, or 8 to People's Square Station, or Metro Line 2 or 10 to Nanjing Road East Station
