Yuyuan malls get summer party started

YUYUAN Garden Malls kicked off a summer party series yesterday.

The Summer Party runs from 7:30pm to 9:30pm every day through August 3, allowing visitors experience the traditional summer nightlife of Shanghai, according to Yuyuan, the malls’ owners.

Outdoor dining tables and seats have been arranged in the central plaza of the malls, along with free music and cultural performances.

The malls’ traditional eateries are also offering seasonal specialities for the parties. They include the Song Yun Tower, the Shanghai Classical Hotel and the Lubolang Restaurant.

Outdoor dining choices include crayfish in various flavors, scallion pancakes, and Tsingtao Beer, according to party organizer. The Shanghai Classical Hotel has created an innovative plum flavor crayfish, while the Lubolang is serving crayfish with mustard.

A piano concert and Kunqu Opera were performed at the opening session of the seasonal event last night.

Classic music, folk guitar and Shanghai jazz will be performed at the plaza throughout the summer.

Traditional Chinese instruments such as bamboo flute,

and will be featured on weekends. These will be played with Western instruments such as cello and classic guitar.

What’s more, several small workshops have been set up at other squares at the malls where traditional handicraft masters are displaying and teaching local heritage skills such as paper-cutting, woodcut paintings, bamboo-weaving and clay sculpting.