Shillong has always had an ear for music. Long before Spotify and YouTube, its musical tastes were shaped by worn-out cassettes, CDs and mixtapes. Hip-hop, R&B, pop and alternative rock gradually found a place in the city’s musical landscape, sharing space with its thriving local rock scene. This November, the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival will celebrate this musical legacy with a lineup that cuts across generations and genres.

Scheduled for November 20 and 21, the 2026 edition features international acts including American rapper Nelly, pop-rock band Boys Like Girls, singer Khalid, rapper Swae Lee and retro-pop artist Elliot James Reay, alongside Indian singer Darshan Raval. While the lineup offers something for different generations of listeners, it also reflects the city’s taste for global sounds in music.

The festival takes its name from the wild Himalayan cherry trees, which burst into bloom every autumn, painting Shillong’s hills, streets and parks, along with the surrounding Khasi Hills, in shades of pink.

Back to school

Khalid
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Nelly’s early 2000s hits such as ‘Hot in Herre’, ‘Dilemma’ and ‘Ride with Me’ bring back an era when MTV became a core childhood memory; Boys Like Girls, with tracks such as ‘The Great Escape’ and ‘Love Drunk’, recall the pop-rock movement that resonates with young guitar enthusiasts, and for many Gen Zs, Darshan Raval was what Hindi pop sounded like. 

Khalid’s ‘Location’, ‘Young Dumb & Broke’, and ‘Better’, along with Swae Lee’s ‘Sunflower’ and ‘Unforgettable’, represent the streaming-platform generation.  

For Jason Manners, organiser of the festival says that creating an international-level music festival in Shillong, “is a dream for us, but also a nightmare because we are victims of geography.” He explains, “We are located in a hill station. We don’t have a proper international airport. We are not lucky to be near any big city that makes it easy for an international artist to tour and make the decision to tour. So it is very much organic.”

Jason traces the journey back to 2013, when he travelled to the US to accompany the Maharaja of Tripura Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma in search of a band for Shillong. His intention was to introduce a fresh musical experience to the city, and the effort eventually led to the booking of an international act. Over the years, he began building relationships within the global music industry. When the Meghalaya government came on board with a similar vision of using music as a means of attracting tourists, the idea of a larger festival began taking shape. “The Government of Meghalaya, especially Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, has been a pionner behind the festival,” says Jason.

Organising a festival of this scale comes with challenges. Recalling an early edition during the COVID years, Jason says, “It got too packed. The audience had to be sent home, and the police had to deploy tear gas, which created a law and order situation. That’s when we also started getting a lot of media attention.”

An experience rooted in culture

From last year Cherry Blossom festival
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Convincing international artists to travel to Shillong also requires considerable effort. “We have to really explain to them what Shillong is and what kind of music culture we have here. And we have to make their journey as comfortable as possible. Some artists have even arrived by helicopter,” says Jason. Despite initial reservations about the journey, he says artists are often impressed by the production and audience. “Most of them actually say that it was the best live show they had in a long time.”

Beyond the music, the festival aims to offer visitors an experience rooted in the food and culture of the Northeast. This year, the food line-up will include traditional Khasi, Jaintia and Garo cuisine, alongside a range of barbecue options, reflecting the region’s love for non-vegetarian fare. Some of the food stalls include The Garo Flavours, Garo Food Hub, Jaintia Indigenous Food, The Pnar’s Kitchen, Al Khasi Stall, and Marshra Khasi, among others. Visitors can also explore merchandise stalls featuring local products, apparel and accessories, as well as games and interactive activities, adding to the festival’s distinctly Shillong and Northeast India-centric experience

Darshan Raval
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The festival is also extending its reach beyond the two days of performances. The Indian International Music Week will be held a day before the festival, bringing together delegates from the music industry. It also works alongside Meghalaya’s Grassroots Music Programme, connecting young local musicians with industry experts through workshops, discussions, artist showcases and sessions.

Jason says their growing popularity has also allowed them to support the music economies of other Northeastern States. After helping Sikkim organise its first international music festival last year, called the Orchid Music Festival in Sikkim, the team is now assisting Arunachal Pradesh with artist bookings and logistical planning for Euphonic Voyage.

“For the people of Shillong, the Cherry Blossom Festival is special because it’s truly homegrown – it has grown out of our own soil. It’s bringing artists who have been part of our childhood. Watching these artists live is not just entertainment; it’s emotional healing, and nostalgia,” says Jason.

The Cherry Blossom Festival will be held on November 20 and 21 at the Madan Kurkalang Sports Complex in Bhoirymbong, Shillong. For registration visit www.rockskitickets.com

Published – November 14, 2026 08:00 am IST