For many visitors, food is the most immediate way to experience a city. During the Spring Festival period, Shanghai hosts a range of seasonal markets and pop-up events that showcase traditional foods and skills rooted in everyday life, from lamb noodle cooking and rice cake making to simple holiday-related craft activities.

Below is a district-by-district guide on where to go, what to explore, and which spots merit a dedicated visit.

Songjiang district

Spring Festival goods market

A practical stop for Spring Festival shopping, offering items such as traditional rice cakes, aged Chinese vinegar, dragon's beard candy, and osmanthus cakes.

When: Now until Jan 25

Where: Sijing Ancient Town

Sijing Spring Festival market

Traditional crafts, including sugar figure blowing, metal weaving, and silk-based accessories, are displayed alongside creative products. The historic setting of the ancient town makes this market more suitable for a leisurely walk rather than hurried shopping.

When: Feb 17 to March 3

Where: Sijing Ancient Town

Chongming district

Hengsha Island Spring Festival market

This coastal-style Chinese New Year market focuses on local agricultural products, island snacks, folk performances, and family-friendly games.

When: Feb 17 to 20

Where: Jinxia Road, Hengsha Island

Yangpu district

Spring Festival ICH market at Yixin Zhai

The market highlights traditional festive foods such as eight-treasure rice pudding and assorted rice cakes. In the days leading up to Lantern Festival, visitors can also join workshops to prepare soup dumplings and spring rolls, making it a good option for families and repeat visits.

When: Now until March 3

Where: No 1625 Pingliang Road

Qingpu district

Spring Festival program in Zhujiajiao

The program combines water-town scenery with food-focused markets and small-scale craft activities, showcasing selected local agricultural products, geographical indication foods, and handmade items.

Pop-up displays by heritage practitioners and local artists blend traditional techniques with contemporary design, particularly in accessories and cultural products.

An interactive walking route links shops and scenic spots across the town, encouraging visitors to explore at their own pace while taking part in activities such as paper cutting, traditional rubbing prints, and writing Spring Festival couplets.

Opening ceremony

When: Feb 11

Where: Ginkgo Square Lawn

Spring Festival market

When: Feb 11 to 16

Where: Xinfeng Road, from the former People's Hospital inpatient building to Fangsheng Bridge

Historic town shop events

When: Feb 16 to 23

Where: Zhujiajiao Ancient Town

Art-M heritage workshops

Hands-on sessions range from reed-leaf weaving and steamed rice cake making to handwoven cotton fabric and traditional candy production, with heritage practitioners offering live, on-site demonstrations.

When: Throughout the Spring Festival period

Where: Art-M, No 39 Alley 6186, Laozhufeng Highway

Baoshan district

ICH map and stamp-collecting tour

Baoshan has introduced an ICH Map linking heritage workshops, restaurants, and cultural sites. Visitors can collect stamps by visiting designated locations, turning the experience into a self-guided route that combines sightseeing, food tasting, and accessible cultural insight.

When: Now until Feb 23

Where: Selected heritage sites and restaurants across the district

Sources: Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism and venues mentioned above