Cherry Blossom festival kicks off in Shillong

SHILLONG: The musical extravaganza themed on cherry blossom flowers took off here on Saturday. The three-day long festival could not be launched on Friday as a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal cast its shadow over the hilly state and rains washed out the celebrations scheduled for the first day.

Nonetheless a large crowd had gathered at the RBDSA sports complex at Ribhoi on Saturday evening to listen to the local and international artists and performers.

On the opening day Hybrid Theory, NE-YO, Meba Ofilia, Pink Panda, Snow White, Rahul Rajkhowa, Banjop, Kenny Music, Gwyneth, CYCO and Chevinia, among others kept the audience hooked to the music and live performances.

Tourism minister of Meghalaya, Bah Paul Lyngdoh, while inaugurating the festival said, “The Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival has become a symbol of unity and celebration, bringing people together to revel in the beauty of nature and the richness of our cultural diversity. Due to adverse weather circumstances, we had to cancel Day-1, taking into care the safety of the festival goers. I want to add that though we may have a day less in number, our fervour is greater in intensity.”

Commenting on the energy of the audience, NE-YO, said, “The energy and enthusiasm of the crowd is just unparalleled. Shillong, with its cherry blossoms, provides the perfect canvas for artistic expression.”

On Sunday evening, headliner Ronan Keating is scheduled to perform along with national and international artists.

The Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2023 is poised to be an unforgettable celebration of music and nature.

Meanwhile, chief minister of Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma, told reporters: “We are looking to add to the existing events and music venues in the state to encourage local talent and give them a platform to perform alongside national and international artistes. We also want to take music festivals to lesser-explored parts of the state to push tourism in those areas.”