Bigger and better: Shanghai coffee festival returns to West Bund
Throngs of visitors and stalls enliven the West Bund at the inaugural Shanghai Coffee Culture Festival in 2023.
The West Bund waterfront in Xuhui is set to enchant visitors with aromatic brews as the 2024 Shanghai International Coffee Culture Festival returns next week.
The event from April 30 to May 4 marks one of Shanghai's largest coffee lifestyle celebrations, stretching over the five-day Labor Day holiday.
This year's festival will be bigger and better than last year's inaugural event, promising a significant upscaling of events and exhibits, according to the district government.
Spanning a 1.5-kilometer stretch along the Huangpu River and covering an area of 1,700 square meters, the festival will incorporate elements such as floral displays, cultural tourism, sports, performances, and commercial brands.
With over 180 coffee and food stalls, the coffee marketplace will feature century-old brands, creative newcomers, and top-selected coffee houses from around the world.
Outdoor performances during the inaugural Shanghai Coffee Culture Festival in 2023.
The growth of Shanghai's coffee industry and its creative sectors in recent years has turned coffee culture into a prominent symbol of urban lifestyle and consumer trends.
The festival will introduce major brands such as Lavazza, Costa, Arabica and Luckin.
It will also host over 50 top-rated local coffee shops and invite more than 10 brands from the Yangtze River Delta region to enrich the festival's diversity with food, coffee, and creative products.
The West Bund will also host nearly 80 art performances during the holiday, including eSports, basketball, chess, and extreme sports competitions.
The riverside venue will also host the Double Five Shopping Festival and Shanghai International Flower Show, along with a series of eSports tournaments, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, a hundred-player chess match, street dance performances and skateboarding activities.
A poster for the 2024 Shanghai Coffee Culture Festival.
If you go:
Event: 2024 Shanghai International Coffee Culture Festival
Date: April 30 to May 4
Site: West Bund waterfront
Admission: Free
Outdoor performances during last year's inaugural Shanghai Coffee Culture Festival.
