Jing'an presents thriving picture with events, shows and much more

Jing'an unveils 2025 event calendar

Jing'an is gearing up for an exciting 2025, with a slate of major cultural, tourism, business and sports events designed to elevate the dowtown district's profile.

The "One Festival, Four Seasons" consumption campaign will feature year-round activities, including global product launches, ACG (anime, comics, and games) culture and diverse consumer experiences.

Jing'an Joy City, a hub for ACG culture, hosted 56 popular global IP pop-up events in 2024, with 45 making their debut. In March, three major events – Girls Band Cry, Miniso×Wiggle Wiggle and Bandai Namco's Ichibansho Fifth Anniversary – are taking place.

Cultural highlights include Modern Drama Valley, the Jing'an Music Festival and the Shanghai Jing'an World Coffee Culture Festival. Over 80 percent of SMG's major productions in 2025, such as "League of Legends: Arcane" and "SIX," will be held in Jing'an, alongside the return of "Sleep No More."

The district will host over 300 sports events, including the eSports Shanghai Masters.

Jing'an's evolution on show

The "Jing'an Past and Present" Image and Antique Exhibition opened this month at the Jing'an Tourism Service Center (63 Anyi Road), showcasing the district's transformation through rare artifacts and historical photos.

Curated by SimpliCity, the exhibition highlights architectural changes, commercial growth and urban renewal. Notable pieces include a 1904 postcard of the Arcadia Hall, once the tallest building in Shanghai, and a 1930s photo depicting the industrial development along Suzhou Creek.

The exhibition will remain open until the end of March, free of charge.

Adidas pop-up

Sportswear giant Adidas took over Yongyuan Road on March 7-9 for a huge pop-up project, featuring a trendy art exhibition, exclusive music performances, limited-edition product launches, sports activities and unique food and gaming experiences.

The urban renewal project will include a 60,000-square-meter commercial and office space. It will house flagship and concept stores from top fashion brands like SMFK, Baxter, Onitsuka Tiger, Knowtify and Undefeated to add a youthful energy to Nanjing Road W.

Lee Gardens Shanghai

A new addition to Jing'an's commercial scene, Lee Gardens Shanghai has opened its doors.

Located at 668 Xinzha Road, the development offers 18,000 square meters of commercial space and 50,000 square meters of premium office space. Designed as a "day-to-night" destination, it provides a vibrant atmosphere that serves as a social hub around the clock.

The commercial area spans three above-ground levels and two basement floors, featuring a mix of dining, leisure, fitness and art spaces. Brands like Cafe Hori, Peet's Coffee, InstaShake, Blac+Blac and Fatty Leow have already opened, with more on the way.

Formerly known as City Link Plaza, the complex was revamped after its acquisition by Hong Kong's Hysan Development Group in 2021. This marks the group's first independent commercial project in Shanghai.

Low-altitude flight zone

Construction for Shanghai's Shibei Low-Altitude Flight Demonstration Zone is on in full swing. It aims to transform urban services with low-altitude logistics, inspections, and more, powered by an intelligent air traffic control platform.

Developed in collaboration with Shanghai Shibei High Technology Park and CASCO, a rail transit control systems firm, the project took a major step forward last November with the launch of its first low-altitude logistics flight route.

This marked the start of trial operations for the platform, which is now fully operational with enhanced capabilities through ongoing network upgrades and expanded applications.

'Ahmed Mater: Antenna'

UCCA Edge unveiled "Ahmed Mater: Antenna" on March 8, the first major solo exhibition by Saudi artist Ahmed Mater in China.

The exhibition, which spans over 40 years of Mater's work, offers an in-depth look at the significant social and economic changes in Saudi Arabia through more than 100 of Mater's pieces.

The exhibition will run through June 8.

Brand pavilion

The "Jing'an Brand Debut Pavilion" opened this month at Zhangyuan W6 as part of the "First in Shanghai" event.

It showcased iconic Shanghai brands like Shanghai Watch and Longfeng Cheongsam, alongside designs from the prominent Chinese designer platform Labelhood.

Last year, Jing'an introduced 230 plus first stores, hosted 200 plus high-profile events, 80 plus top-tier sports competitions and 50 plus high-quality exhibitions.