Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: The Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival is heading back to its old stomping grounds. Organizers confirmed the 2026 event will return to Madan Kurkalang in Bhoirymbong. They scrapped plans to move the festival to the New Shillong Highland Grounds at Mawkhanu. The public demanded the change. The festival runs November 20 and 21.
This venue has history. It hosted major acts in 2023, including Ne-Yo, Ronan Keating, and Jonas Blue. The 2024 edition brought 58,000 fans to watch Akon, Clean Bandit, and Boney M. The site features ample space for food, shopping, and entertainment. Organizers previously picked the New Shillong Highland Grounds for its proximity to Jowai and Assam. They wanted a permanent home with better traffic flow. That plan is dead.
The festival is a massive tourism engine for Meghalaya. It boosts hospitality, retail, and local jobs. Meghalaya Tourism stated the venue is a "large open-air space designed to accommodate the festival’s growing crowds."
International acts are confirmed for the 2026 lineup. Khalid, Swae Lee, and Boys Like Girls will headline the event. Two more international stars remain under wraps. The festival previously cycled through the Polo Grounds, the RBDSA Sports Complex, and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. It now lands back at Madan Kurkalang for the third time in four years.
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