Feast of events for delta region shoppers

Activities covering shopping, tourism, culture and entertainment venues will be held in the Yangtze River Delta Ecology and Greenery Integration Demonstration Zone through the end of June as part of the Double Five Shopping Festival in May, authorities said on Tuesday. 

Green agricultural products from the Yangtze River Delta region will be displayed and online and offline sales promotions will be held by agriculture cooperatives in the zone. 

Digital yuan payment will be trialled at commercial circles, hotels, ancient towns, tourist attractions and buses. 

Night bazaars will be held with soccer-themed mobile dining vans featured and people invited to savor the night charm of ancient towns such as Zhujiajiao, Lili, Tongli and Xitang. 

An imported commodity festival and food-related activities are also on the agenda.

Commodities from across the globe will be showcased at Greenland Global Commodity Trading Hub, the all-year trading platform of the China International Import Expo, to the south of the National Convention and Exhibition Center.

A variety of cultural and tourism activities will also be held. 

Oriental Land will host a strawberry music festival and a camping festival during the May Day holiday, while Shanghai Zhangma scenic area will be the venue for a lavender festival. 

Peony and begonia and art exhibitions will be staged at Shanghai Daguanyuan (Grandview Garden). 

Strawberry and jiaobai (wild rice shoots) festivals will also be held, featuring picking events. 

"The festival in the demonstration zone will feature in-depth online and offline integration, and integration of the Yangtze River Delta region and commerce, tourism, culture, shopping and entertainment areas," said Pan Humin, director of the Qingpu District Commission of Commerce. 

Time-honored brands will host webcasts. 

Cultural tours stringing libraries, museums, art galleries and gardens in the zone will be organized and ticket discounts will be offered during International Museum Day on May 18 and China Tourism Day on May 19.

Huge "blind boxes,” known as manghe in China, will be placed at commercial circles along Metro Line 17 with relevant activities hosted. 

Such boxes containing hand-sized toys have become a popular fad.