Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival
music
When it happens
November
Two to three days in November each year, timed to the autumn flowering. Dates are announced by the state and move with the bloom.
Significance
A modern government tourism event with no ritual content and no history before 2016. Its honest interest is as one of the northeast's largest music events.
Why it's celebrated
It was created in 2016 by the Government of Meghalaya to build a tourism season around the autumn flowering of the cherry trees.
How it's celebrated
A ticketed multi-stage music and culture event: international and Indian headline acts, fashion shows, a pageant, cosplay and dance contests, literary events and art exhibitions.
Key rituals
None — it is a programmed music and culture festival.
Beliefs & spiritual meaning
None.
History & origins
Created in 2016 by the state to give Shillong an autumn draw, hung on the flowering of the wild Himalayan cherry.
Frequently asked
When is the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival?+
Over two to three days in November, timed to the autumn flowering and announced by the state each year. The tree is Prunus cerasoides, the wild Himalayan cherry, which blooms in October and November — so unlike Japan's spring hanami this is an autumn festival.
Is it free to attend?+
No. It is ticketed and not cheaply — 2025 tiers ran from around ₹1,500 for early bird to ₹5,999 for VIP. Accommodation in Shillong fills months ahead, so book both together.
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