PEACH trees across Shanghai will soon be in full bloom, heralding the official start of the spring season and dipping the district's streets in a myriad of light pink.

People looking for a prime spot to marvel at spring's full beauty can head to Pudong New Area, one of the best places in Shanghai to stroll under blossoming peach trees.

The district is hosting its 26th annual Peach Blossom Festival, an event that is billed as one of the highlights of the district's annual event calendar.

Three new venues have been added to the list of places to catch the peach blossoms this year — Haishang Peach Orchard, Wangting Peach Orchard and Puluwan Peach Orchard — bringing the total number to seven.

Wangting Peach Orchard and Puluwan Peach Orchard will be free of charge for visitors.

Peach trees are popular in China due to their cultural significance and their symbolic use in literature and art, where peaches represent longevity and health. Shouxing (寿星), the God of Longevity, is often depicted in artworks with a peach in his hand.

Peach blossoms are also regarded as being a symbol of love and beauty. During the Chinese New Year, young singles often decorate their house with peach blossoms in the hope of finding love in the coming year.

An example of peaches playing a significant role in Chinese literature is the story “The Peach Blossom Land,” written by Tao Yuanming in 421 AD. The story tells the tale of a fisherman who stumbles over a forest of blossoming peach trees. In the forest, he finds a hidden utopian community. He spends a week in this perfect place, but after he leaves, he is unable to ever find his way back.

The story inspired the Chinese expression “世外桃源” (shiwai taoyuan), often used to describe a place of extraordinary beauty.

Haibin Peach Blossom Land — one of the seven venues of the festival — is named after this story. Approximately 22,000 peach trees line the Haibin's paths, allowing visitors to have a close-up view of more than 50 varieties of flowers that bloom here.

The 28-meter high octagonal pagoda at Haibin Peach Blossom Land also features a museum that showcases the culture and history of peaches in China. The pagoda overlooks nearby architectural attractions like Donghai Bridge and Yangshan Port.

The place also offers a chance for visitors to try their hand at farming and will also hold an exhibition on the history of agriculture in Pudong.

There will also be a variety of cultural activities at nearby villages.

Haishang Peach Orchard features a photography exhibition and a calligraphy competition, as well as a “Peach Blossom Island” for visitors to explore.

At Wangting Peach Orchard, visitors get the chance to sample traditional local delicacies and listen to traditional folk music. They can also shop for local farm products available in the area.

Datuan Village, which boasts one of the largest peach orchards in Shanghai, will deviate from tradition and host a series of modern activities such as a “Running Man” tournament, adapted from South Korea’s popular TV game show.

With a peach orchard covering more than 300,000 square meters, Nanhui Peach Village is one of the festival’s most popular locations. The village is one of the older peach orchards, and has been part of the festival for nine years now.

Visitors looking for a family outing can head to Nanhui Peach Village as it features a water park for children and family activities like picnicking.

Some of the locations are not only famous for their peach blossoms but are also of historical significance, such as Xinchang Ancient Town, a 1,300-year-old water town. Its peach orchard dates back to 1962, making it the oldest place in the Nanhui area to cultivate peaches. The architecture at Xinchang, reflected in its distinctive stone archways and buildings, dates back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

The area also served as a setting for Ang Lee’s 2007 film “Lust, Caution,” which attracts many movie fans.

This year, Xinchang Peach Orchard has invited Shanghai Light Music Orchestra to perform. A series of art exhibitions as well as a fashion and wedding show will also be held.

At Puluwan Peach Orchard, one of the latest additions to the festival, visitors can explore nearby Dishui Lake and visit the maritime museum.

This year’s Peach Blossom Festival also features a photography contest that gives visitors a chance to win tickets to Shanghai Disneyland theme park and a six-day trip to Taiwan. The best photos will be published in a book.

Organizers of the 2016 Peach Blossom Festival have also upgraded transportation, accessibility and amenities at various villages.

A free shuttle bus service that runs from various stations along Metro Line 16 will make it easier to access the last few kilometers of the peach orchards. These buses will come in 15- to 30-minute intervals, depending on the location, and will run daily from 9am to 3pm.

For visitors arriving by car, about 100 new directional road signs will be put up to help visitors find the last stretches of the orchards.

In light of the three new orchards opening to the public this year, additional car parks will be available, as well as temporary latrines at Wangting Peach Orchard and Puluwan Peach Orchard.

Organizers will also provide a guidebook that includes important information such as activities to participate in, transport information, and dining options for visitors.

This year’s Peach Blossom festival will run from the end of March — when peach trees are expected to be in full bloom — until the middle of April.

Free Shuttle Service

• Binhai Peach Blossom Land Route

Date: Through April 15

Opening hours: 9am-2:30pm

Pick up point: Take Metro Line 16 to Huinan Station and transfer to the free shuttle bus service at Exit 3

Shuttle bus route: Huinan Station – Laogang Travel Center – Binhai Peach Blossom Land – Binhai Forest Park – Shanghai Flower Port – Binhai Forest Park – Binhai Peach Blossom Land – Laogang Travel Center – Huinan Station

• Nanhui Peach Village and Datuan Peach Orchard Route

Date: Through April 15

Opening hours: 9am–2:30pm

Pick up point: Take Metro Line 16 to Huinan Station and transfer to the free shuttle bus service at Exit 3

Shuttle bus route: Huinan Station – Nanhui Peach Village – Guifeng Tainong Plantation – Datuan Farmers’ Market – Haishang Peach Orchard – Luotian Nong Zhan – Wangting Peach Orchard – Datuan Farmers’ Market – Huinan Station

• Xinchang Peach Orchard Route

Date: Through April 15

Opening hours: 8:30am–4:30pm

Pick up point: Take Metro Line 16 to Xinchang Station

Shuttle Bus route: Xinchang Station – Xinchang Government Building – Xinchang Town – Xinchang Peach Orchard – Xinchang Town – Xinchang Civic Center – Datian Resort – Xinchang Government Building – Xinchang Station

• Jiangang Route

Date: Through April 15

Opening hours: 10am–3:20pm (Shuttle bus comes every 40 minutes)

Pick up point: Dishui Lake Tourist Center

Shuttle Bus route: Dishui Lake Tourist Center – Dishui Lake Station – Puluwan Peach Orchard – Dishui Lake Station – Dishui Lake Tourist Center

Photography competition

Share pictures of your own experience at the Peach Blossom Festival online and get a chance to win attractive prizes such as tickets to Shanghai Disneyland and a six-day trip to Taiwan. The competition period will go through April 20.

Results will be announced on June 1 via the WeChat account “pdlvyou” of the Shanghai Pudong New Area Tourism Office.

Participants can go on to http://mice.pudong.gov.cn for more details.