Shanghai's century-old Fuxing Park is getting a nighttime makeover, with interactive light shows and amusement rides set to open in late July.

The park's operator is swapping its cool white lighting for warm tones, hanging a giant disco ball over the main pathways, and rigging trees with bird-shaped lights that flap to life when passersby clap their hands.

"Nightlife is more than just bars," said Xia Tianyi, president of INS Land, a commercial and recreational complex inside the park. "We want to wrap an old amusement ride in a theater shell to give adults more choices."

The park has quietly become one of Shanghai's nightlife surprises. Videos of its new lighting have drawn well over 10 million views online, and visitor numbers reached 1.7 million in 2025 – up 80 percent from the year before.

Daytime rides and ticket prices for children's attractions will remain the same, so families can treat Fuxing Park as the neighborhood playground it has always been. The new light shows and night rides activate from late afternoon onward, on top of the existing attractions.

Fuxing Park opened in 1909 and remains the only well-preserved French-style park in Shanghai. The historic site features European elements like symmetrical flowerbeds, fountains, and a sunken garden. It has long served as a prominent cultural gathering place where generations of residents meet to dance, play music, and socialize.

The park's transformation reaches beyond its gates. A new entertainment spot called Soul House – part escape room, part cocktail bar – has opened nearby at Sinan Mansions, effectively stretching the nightlife zone across both properties.

In August, the same operator plans to open Hero Dome, a large performance venue on the Bund, as part of a wider push to host 150 events a year and draw 3 million visitors to riverside entertainment.

Later this year, the park will upgrade the lighting around its lotus pond to coincide with an international light festival – worth checking back for visitors who want to see the park's next phase.

The upgrade is part of a broader effort across Shanghai to bring more life to public spaces after dark, as the city looks to expand its night economy.

If you go

Opening hours: The park is open 24 hours; night entertainment runs from afternoon until late

Admission: Free

Address: 105 Yandang Rd 雁荡路105号

Public Transport: Metro Line 10 or 13 to Xintiandi (Exit 5)