The second Waterside Melodies lit up Qingpu's night skies and supercharged local May Day holiday consumption, drawing tens of thousands of music fans and driving surging tourism revenue across the district over the holiday weekend.

Held on May 2 and 3 at Shangda Central Park, the outdoor festival unfolded across 115,000 square meters of natural lawn, featuring an 88-meter waterfront stage. Top performers including Jane Zhang, Justin Huang, Jam Hsiao and Ma Siwei delivered diverse performances, attracting a total of 33,006 attendees to the riverside music gathering.

Nearly 20 themed market stalls lined the venue, showcasing intangible cultural heritage crafts, local agricultural specialties, trendy snacks and creative merchandise. The blend of traditional culture and youth fashion formed a core part of Qingpu's integrated "music-plus-consumption" industrial ecosystem.

Visitors traveled across the Yangtze River Delta and nationwide for the festival, extending their stays to explore Zhujiajiao Ancient Town, hydrangea flower exhibitions and rural outdoor activities. Many fans turned one-day music trip into multi-day getaway itineraries.

Qingpu tied the waterside music festival with coffee carnivals, auto culture events and rural hydrangea flower festivals, channeling tourist flows across ancient towns, rural scenic spots and business venues.

Kayaking experiences in Cenbu Village have proved extremely popular, while seasonal river delicacies drew many diners to rural restaurants.

By Dadian Lake in Zhujiajiao, the 2026 Qingpu Coffee Carnival was held from April 30 to May 4. It gathered over 60 coffee brands, featuring premium hand-brewed coffee, creative specialty drinks, original flavors from Yunnan Province, and limited-edition creations by international barista masters. A single cup of coffee connects Jiangnan cultural heritage, trendy lifestyle and regional consumption.

In Dongshe Village, Liantang Town, the 3rd Dongshe Hydrangea Festival is in full bloom. A 30-meter sea-of-flowers waterfall made of 15,000 hydrangea plants presents a magnificent view, and an eight-meter-tall three-layer giant hydrangea art installation became a popular spot. People can camp across 40 mu of flower fields.

The pastoral flower route, introduced by Guo Huiqing, deputy director of Qingpu District Bureau of Culture and Tourism, has become a top choice for tourists.

"Enjoy the hydrangea blossoms in Liantang in the daytime, drop by the Coffee Carnival in Zhujiajiao in the afternoon, attend the music concert in the evening, and finish the day with crayfish night stalls on Qingpu's streets," she said.

Data showed Qingpu received1.327 milliontouristsduring the five-day holiday, a year-on-year rise of 28.13percent. Holiday tourism revenue reached678million yuan, up 29.89percent from 2025. Average occupancy rate hit63.97percent for major resort hotels and78.71percent for rural homestays.