Shanghai is celebrating its 2025 Shopping Festival — running from May 1 to late June — and this year all 16 districts are displaying their own special offerings.

They're doing this through a "one district, one theme" approach — part of the city's strategy to become a leading international consumption center.

Baoshan district puts families first

In Baoshan, the spotlight is on family outings. The district has organized five special segments that connect various shopping experiences. These include cruises, automobile outings, dining, sports, activities for seniors and young folks, as well as a host of cultural events. All in all, nearly 100 themed activities have been planned to bring together these diverse interests.

Dazzling cruise culture, tourism festival opening

Baoshan's shopping festival kicked off with a standout event — the 2025 Shanghai Cruise Culture and Tourism Festival. On the evening of April 30, under a starry sky, a stage suspended over a water feature at the Shanghai Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal set the scene.

A sophisticated aerial drone light show then presented a dramatic performance inspired by the legendary Monkey King, the iconic character from the Chinese classic novel Journey to the West.

Just a kilometer away, visitors at the newly opened Long Beach Observation Tower eagerly awaited a dazzling fireworks display.

Coinciding with the tower's opening, a cultural and creative product store was launched in its basement level.

The store features a collection of products inspired by intangible cultural heritage, including traditional crafts such as dough figurine sculpting and herbal sachet making.

Upcoming family dining, outing events

Starting in mid-May, Baoshan district will also stage a series of family dining events. These will include a cooking competition, a family banquet, and a touring exhibition highlighting Baoshan's unique cuisines.

The aim is to build a "Baoshan Family Banquet" brand that shares the stories of local heritage craftsmen and revitalizes the district's culinary culture.

In addition, special family outing tours are planned across northern suburban areas. These tours will feature themed rural routes that combine cultural experiences with interactive recreation.

As part of this, residents can look forward to events such as the Dendrobium Flower Festival in Luojing town, the "Shanghai-Style Jiangnan" tour in Yuepu town and a lively Dragon Boat Festival celebration in Luodian town.

Source: Official WeChat account of Baoshan district government at "sh-baoshan"