The seventh Sands Shopping Carnival combined retail activity with social inclusion, giving small businesses and community organisations a shared platform in Macao.
Sands China Ltd., also referred to as Sands China, used the seventh Sands Shopping Carnival to bring small businesses, social service organisations and volunteers together in Macao. Held from July 23 to July 26, 2026, at The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expo, the four-day event featured more than 580 exhibition booths and attracted nearly 160,000 visits, according to the company. Its scale and structure show how a consumption event can also serve as a channel for community participation and practical support.
The carnival has been held annually since 2020 and is positioned by Sands China as a platform for local SMEs, Sands retailers and community partners. This year’s event included 20 social service organisations and more than 100 Sands Cares Ambassadors, while its eight themed zones covered areas including household products, food and wine, cultural and creative goods, Macao specialities, entertainment and sports. The company said cumulative attendance across seven editions reached 800,000 visits.
For participating community organisations, the event went beyond exhibition space. Trainees, including people with special educational needs, displayed and sold handmade products, crafts and food items, gaining hands-on work experience while interacting directly with customers. Sands China also invited nearly 90 family members from the Macau IN Volunteer Group and the Macao True Goodwill Friend Association to parent-child activities, and partnered with Macau Special Olympics on a programme that gave participants experience reporting from the carnival.
The release presents those activities as part of Sands China’s wider Sands Cares programme, which includes volunteering, charitable contributions and sponsorship of community events in Macao. More than 400 Sands Cares Ambassadors have contributed over 1,120 volunteer hours to the carnival to date, the company said. A performance by visually impaired pianist Chan Ka Keong and the participation of social service groups added public-facing examples of how the event linked commercial activity with inclusion and skills development.
The carnival was organised by Sands China and co-organised by the Macao Chamber of Commerce, with support from several Macao government bodies and sponsorship from four banks. Sands China said the event supports the government’s Tourism+ strategy by providing a free exhibition and sales platform for SMEs, retailers and community partners. Its continued expansion suggests a model in which a major retail gathering can carry both economic and social objectives, while keeping participation at the centre of the company’s community strategy.
