Cherry Blossom Festival begins at Shillong, K-Pop, East Asian bands to perform

As Meghalaya capital, Shillong turns into a live painting with blooming cherry blossoms covering the city with shades of pink and purple, the much-awaited Cherry Blossom festival began here today.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma inaugurated the festival in presence of Chief Guest, Japanese Ambassador Satoshi Suzuki.

The festival is celebrated every year to mark the unique autumn flowering of the Himalayan cherry blossom in the hills of Meghalaya.

This year the festival will see a plethora of activities such as live music gigs, stalls showcasing the cuisine, wine, arts, and craft of the region.

The Shillong Cherry Blossom had to be canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Rock concerts, traditional folk music, dance performances, unplugged western music, and many more are on the menu for the visitors this year.

The festival which will be on till November 27 is being held in two venues–Ward’s Lake and the Polo Ground.

Besides the local bands, the festival will also feature international artists.

The first day of the festival will see a performance by ‘Carl & The Reda Mafia,’ a Dubai-based band. On the second day of the event, a South Korean girl trio ‘Pixy’ will perform, while the third day will see Thailand pop artist ‘Pyra’ and ‘Mari Ferrari (EDM-Portugal)’ performing at the festival.

A variety of events, including painting, photography, graffiti, and singing, will be held at the two locations for the youngsters to display their talents.