Li Qian,Lin Yawei
"Les Misérables" exhibition
Plaza 66 hosts an exhibition to mark the 40th anniversary of the "Les Misérables" musical from August 8–21.
The opening day crowd jumped nearly 20 percent more than the June – July average, the largest six-week turnout for a non-celebrity event.
The immersive showcase, titled "Transmission and Renewal of Culture," features rare memorabilia such as signed posters and programs from the original China production 23 years ago, as well as screenings of famous pieces. Fans lined up for limited-edition postcards and commemorative stamps. Ticket holders were in for further surprise, such as exclusive discount coupons in the mall.
The celebrations will end on November 4, when the "Les Misérables" concert takes place at the Shanghai Grand Theater.
Floristry contest
The Huayuanli Horticulture Center hosted 2025 Shanghai Citizens' Floristry Contest (Jing'an) on July 31. The theme of the contest, "Beauty in Life, Nature Around Us," inspired the creation of a dreamlike environment with blue-and -violet floral décor and multicolored ribbons. Participants were provided with delphinium, eustoma, sunflowers, orchids, jasmine, and velvets. Every The contestant had 40 minutes to create a Haipai (Shanghai-style) floral arrangement that showed their ingenuity and inventiveness.
Youth dance event
The Jing'an Sports Center staged the 2025 Shanghai–Hong Kong–Macao–Taiwan Youth Sports Dance Exchange with the SOC (Shanghai Open Championships) on August 9. Over 1,000 young dancers from the U.S., Russia, Belarus, Italy, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine attended this year's festival. Samba, waltz, cha-cha, tango, foxtrot, and quickstep were performed with elegance and intensity. The event provided a platform for cultural exchange and showcased the vibrancy of youth.
Community wall painting
A painting event was held in the Huaqiyuan residential compound in the Beizhan Subdistrict. Guided by professional instructors, children carefully drew outlines, mixed colors, and painted vivid scenes on an old wall. Some depicted white-walled houses and black-tiled roofs, others focused on bridges and flowing water, while some added touches of willow trees to animate the mural. The once weathered wall has been transformed into a fresh landscape of Jiangnan scenery, adding a bright new feature to the community environment.
Student exchange
The Jing'an Youth Activity Center hosted a summer cultural program for 49 young visitors from Taiwan on July 30. They practiced calligraphy on fans and hand-stitched sachets containing herbs like wormwood, clove, dried tangerine peel, and mint. They learned about Chinese traditional culture and made friends with locals through the activities.
Crape Myrtle Bloom
Crape myrtles are in full bloom throughout the streets and neighborhoods of Jing'an. As a member of the Lythraceae family, this flowering shrub or small tree is renowned for its vivid colors, which range from purple and pink to bright red and white. The blossoms, arranged in panicle-shaped clusters, create a striking visual display.
Zootopia
Zhangyuan Garden became a Zootopia-themed wonderland this month with Disney China's "Zootopia Summer Fest" pop-up.
It welcomed guests to join Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde on a "wild" excursion inside the W4 building, where iconic scenes from the popular film are reproduced for an immersive experience.
An exhibition of Disney China and Shanghai Animation Film Studio's new animated short series, "Zootopia: Day & Night," was the highlight. The shorts combine Zootopia's appeal with Chinese animation and local culture. The series is set to premiere on social media in November. (Source: Shanghai Daily)
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