(Photo: CMG)

A coffee carnival has kicked off in Shanghai. It’s part of a three-month campaign by China Media Group to promote coffee consumption and the development of the coffee industry.

The ‘Coffee Together’ carnival is taking place in Shanghai’s Xuhui business district from 17 March to 2 April.

It is co-hosted by CMG, its international channel CGTN and its new 5G media platform and is one of a series of coffee-related events to be staged in different parts of the city.

The carnival includes free coffee, an online page with interactive activities and a new urban art installation, ‘Walking Coffee Cup’ (pictured). Participants can also enjoy outdoor concerts, camping parties, recycling events, industry forums and holiday-themed activities.

CGTN says Shanghai has almost 8,000 coffee shops, more than 900 of them in Xuhui alone. They were badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic but have started bouncing back in recent months.