As evening brings relief from the summer heat, a new wave of night markets has arrived across Shanghai, offering everything from street food and live performances to cultural experiences and riverside strolls.

Song Dynasty-themed summer market at Shanghai MixC

• When: Through Aug 31
• Where: SoLong Park, Shanghai MixC, No 1599 Wuzhong Road, Minhang district

SoLong Park has been transformed into an immersive night market inspired by the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Spanning a 600-meter pedestrian street, the market captures the essence of an ancient marketplace through themed buildings and stalls.

Visitors can explore handicrafts, ceramics, incense products, tea, desserts, regional snacks, and traditionally brewed specialties. The market also features traditional performances such as lantern parades, shadow puppetry, storytelling, traditional Chinese magic, and Sichuan Opera face-changing. Interactive activities such as touhu, an ancient arrow-tossing game, and cuju, an early form of soccer, enhance the experience.

South Korean-style night market at Panlong Tiandi

• When: Ongoing
• Where: Qifu Square, Panlong Tiandi, No 8 Alley 123 Panding Road, Qingpu district

Panlong Tiandi has introduced a South Korean-style night market that blends the charm of its historic water town with the lively energy of Korean street food culture.

Visitors can enjoy a variety of tasty options from food stalls, such as spicy rice cakes, fish cake soup, grilled pork belly with perilla leaves, fried chicken, gimbap, mango bingsu, assorted braised dishes, and freshly prepared cheese-filled coin-shaped bread. Craft beer and signature cocktails are also offered.

Longhua Hui summer night fair

• When: Through Aug 31, Friday to Sunday evenings
• Where: Longhua Hui, No 2778 Longhua Road, Xuhui district

Set along the Longhua waterfront, the fair blends riverside scenery with food, crafts, and cultural activities.

Visitors can unwind during the day at cafes overlooking the historic Longhua Pagoda. As evening approaches, the atmosphere shifts, with craft beer, cocktails, and other beverages served along the riverside.

The fair also hosts a night market dedicated to intangible cultural heritage, featuring straw weaving, velvet flowers, embroidered sachets, sugar painting, local snacks, and other handcrafted items. Many stalls are operated by artisans inheriting traditional crafts, providing visitors with opportunities to learn directly from the creators.

Tanan summer garden fair

• When: Through Aug 2, Fridays to Sundays, 4 pm to 8 pm
• Where: Minqing Street, Zhouqiao Old Street, Jiading district

Held on the historic streets of Zhouqiao Old Street, the first phase of the Tanan Summer Garden Fair focuses on Song Dynasty culture.

The market features Song brocade, velvet flower accessories, scholar's desk ornaments, cultural souvenirs, barbecue, desserts, and refreshing summer treats. A dedicated wellness area enhances the experience with herbal wellness desserts and a hot pot inspired by seasonal wellness practices in traditional Chinese culture.

Live performances, such as shadow puppetry, fan painting demonstrations, and traditional acrobatics, run from 6 pm to 7:30 pm. Costumed characters representing figures from the Song Dynasty interact with visitors at various points in the market. Guests can participate in themed activities to earn "silver notes", which they can exchange for gifts at participating stalls.

Cangcheng summer night market

• When: Aug 8 to 9
• Where: Cangcheng Langyuan Bridge, Songjiang district

The first market edition, held on July 25 and 26, brought together food, music, and wellness activities along the riverside near Dacang Bridge.

Market visitors savored seasonal treats and participated in activities such as tasting traditional sour plum drinks and fuling cake made with poria mushroom. They also engaged in hands-on workshops to craft mosquito-repellent sachets and grind herbal tea powder, used traditionally to alleviate summer heat. Additional attractions included traditional Chinese medicine consultations, performances of classical Chinese instrumental music, and a stamp-collecting route connecting historic buildings.

The market will resume on Aug 8 and 9 for its second edition.

Source: Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism