Shillong, Aug 31: Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival is set for a new chapter — a new permanent home and three global headliners to start with.
The 2026 edition, scheduled for November 20-21, will move out of its old bowl to the New Shillong Highland Grounds in New Shillong. The state government has earmarked the site as a permanent festival ground for mega events, and Cherry Blossom will be its first big international showcase.
Organisers announced R&B heavyweight Khalid — the seven-time Grammy-nominated voice behind Young Dumb & Broke, American multi-platinum star Swae Lee, one half of Rae Sremmurd and the man behind Sunflower with Post Malone, and pop-punk favourites Boys Like Girls known for The Great Escape, Thunder and Love Drunk, as the first wave.
Two more international headliners will be added soon, taking the tally to five.
The line-up reveal, organisers said, came late this year as the venue shift forced a reset of production, technical and logistics timelines for large touring acts.
The Highland Grounds is being built for scale — multiple entry and exit gates, dedicated parking and a full traffic and mobility plan by the Government of Meghalaya for the weekend. Located around 30 minutes from the city, it will be easier to access for fans coming from Jowai side and from Assam and other Northeastern states.
Staying true to its affordable fest pitch, tickets will start at Rs 2,500 inclusive of taxes — among the cheapest for an international-scale festival in India. Sale opens September 4 at 6 PM on http://RockskiTickets.com.
Last year’s edition had drawn Jason Derulo, The Script, Tyga, Diplo, Nora Fatehi and Aqua to Shillong.
