Summer wonderland welcomes night owls to Shanghai

As the dappled light filters through Fuxing Park's plane tree leaves at dusk, Shanghai's nighttime energy starts to permeate the city's neighborhoods, parks and riverfronts.

Ranked No 1 in the night economy index released by China Business News, the city is living up to its top billing more than ever with the development of a new urban nightlife wonderland, with the park at its heart.

"I really enjoy the nightlife in Shanghai," said Tommaso Bianchin, an Italian wine industry professional."I have friends who go to underground clubs and rooftop parties. The venues here are great, and people are friendly, the overall standard is very high."

Spanish DJ Lalo Lopez, who has performed globally, agreed: "I've attended many parties, in many places, in many countries, and Shanghai's nightlife is unique."

"With the right people, the right energy and the right venue, it's gonna be one of the best nights of your life," said Lopez.

It's the diversity of nighttime offerings that is the city's main attraction, and diversity is also the watchword for INS Land, a massive multistory entertainment and lifestyle complex located in Fuxing Park.

This summer, on its third anniversary, INS Land unveiled its evolution from a 20,000-square-meter entertainment landmark into a neighborhood block-sized "urban nightlife wonderland", connecting the park and the city's Sinan Mansions area.

The complex defies the conventional nightclub archetype by integrating e-sports, music, live performances, dining and socializing.

Fan Meichen, deputy general-manager of Sinan Mansions, which is organizing themed events and parties every weekend throughout the summer, said that Soul House, a newly opened immersive theater bar, has been fully booked every day since opening in June.

Soul House features a 24-hour access gate at Fuxing Park and offers a park shuttle. A walkable nighttime loop integrating culture, commerce, sports, tourism and exhibitions has since formed beneath the plane trees.

"Visitors can have a drink at INS Land, take the mini train through the park, then head to Sinan Mansions to experience Soul House. It makes for a truly diverse experience," Fan said.

Diversity beyond activities

And the diversity doesn't stop at the activities.

"The proportion of foreign visitors has increased significantly, accounting for roughly one-third of foot traffic in the Sinan Mansions area," Fan said, adding that "the neighborhood has rolled out bilingual signage and service points".

It's not a recent trend, as evidenced by the INS Land club Hero Dome.

Ranked No 12 on the list of the world's Top 100 Clubs compiled by leading dance music publication DJ Mag — the highest position ever for a Chinese venue — Hero Dome hosted the inaugural Asian edition of global EDM festival phenomenon Tomorrowland last year, with 20,000 tickets selling out almost instantly, 15 percent of which were snapped up by international visitors.

One thing that attracts overseas partygoers is the good vibes of the locals, as DJ Lopez pointed out:"What I love about China is that everybody's so open. In other countries, you see groups of friends — every group is like an island, and it's difficult to get onto that island. But here, everything is like a melting pot."

And bubbling away in that pot is opportunity.

According to a 2025 China nighttime economy development report co-released by the China Tourism Academy and Landsky, nighttime spending now makes up 32.9 percent of daily consumption nationwide, with key drivers transitioning from "dining, drinking and shopping", to "novelty, diversity and socializing".

More potential envisioned

Xia Tianyi, a co-founder of INS Land, sees more potential to develop and build on the city's current success.

There are areas where the city's nightlife potential "remains largely untapped", he said.

"While there are plenty of dinner options and activities after midnight, the hours between dinner and midnight lack proper curation," he said.

He emphasized that the city needs diverse choices, flexible combinations and immersive experiences. For Xia, that also means extending nighttime consumption hours.

"Our median entry time was once midnight; it's now 10 pm. With the park and Soul House, we aim to shift it earlier to 8 pm and even 6 pm.

"A true wonderland is defined by three qualities: abundant choices, freely combinable experiences and full immersion. Every visitor can find something tailored to their taste," he said.

To deliver on this vision, INS Land will partner with nearby merchants to build an ecosystem of flexible, self-guided entertainment options to elevate the entire Fuxing Park area into a new highlight of Huangpu district.

He added that in the longer term, INS Land will look to roll out the model to other cities, other regions and even overseas markets.