Officials launch the festival in Qingpu District on Friday.

Some of the commodities on display in Qingpu District

The Yangtze River Delta Ecology and Greenery Integration Demonstration Zone's Double Five Shopping Festival kicked off inQingpuDistrict on Friday, featuring a variety of activities related to shopping, tourism, culture and entertainment.

The festival is hosted by Shanghai'sQingpuDistrict,JiashanCounty inZhejiangProvince andWujiangDistrict inJiangsuProvince for the first time.

Shanghai Vice MayorZongMing andSuzhouVice Mayor Yang Zhiping attended the opening ceremony.

Green agricultural products from the Yangtze River Delta region are on display and online and offline sales promotions will be held by agriculture cooperatives in the zone.

Digital yuan payment will be trialled at the zone’s commercial circles, hotels, ancient towns, tourist attractions and buses.

Night bazaars will be held with soccer-themed mobile dining vans featured and people are invited to savor the night charm of ancient towns such asZhujiajiao,Lili,TongliandXitang.

Agricultural produce from the zone are on display in Qingpu.

Light shows and Pingtan performances — a traditional form of storytelling to music that originated inSuzhou — are among the night tour offerings atZhujiajiaowatertown inQingpu.

An imported commodity festival and food-related activities are also on the agenda.

Commodities from across the globe will be showcased at the Greenland Global Commodity Trading Hub, the all-year trading platform of the China International Import Expo.

Lucky draws and discounts will be offered by theBailianOutlets Plaza inQingpu.

Oriental Land will host a strawberry music festival and a camping festival during the May Day holiday, while the ShanghaiZhangmascenic area will be the venue for a lavender festival.

Peony and begonia and art exhibitions will be staged at Shanghai Daguanyuan (GrandviewGarden).

Strawberry andjiaobai(wild rice shoots) festivals will also be held, featuring picking events.

A beer festival and fashion shows are also part of the festival which will run through the second quarter.