Shillong: The Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival is set to return on November 20 and 21, with organisers announcing a new permanent venue in New Shillong and three international headliners for the 2026 edition.
American R&B and pop star Khalid, rapper and singer Swae Lee, and American pop-punk band Boys Like Girls have been announced as the first three international acts, while two more headliners are expected to be revealed soon.
The festival will be held at the newly designated New Shillong Highland Grounds, which has been allocated by the Meghalaya government as a dedicated venue for large-scale festivals, concerts and other events.
The move marks a new chapter for the festival following its 2025 edition, which featured international acts including Jason Derulo, The Script, Tyga, Diplo, Nora Fatehi and Aqua.
Khalid, known for hits such as “Young Dumb & Broke”, will headline the first wave of announcements. Swae Lee, known for his work with Rae Sremmurd and collaborations including “Sunflower” with Post Malone, will also take the stage.
Pop-punk band Boys Like Girls, popular for tracks including “The Great Escape”, “Thunder” and “Love Drunk”, will add a rock-oriented element to the festival line-up.
Organisers said the shift to the new venue had affected timelines for artist confirmations, given the technical, production and logistical requirements involved in hosting international touring acts.
The New Shillong Highland Grounds is being developed with large-scale events in mind, with multiple entry and exit points, parking facilities and dedicated traffic-management arrangements planned for the festival.
The Meghalaya government is also expected to put in place a comprehensive traffic and mobility plan for the festival weekend.
Located around 30 minutes from Shillong, the venue is also expected to improve access for audiences travelling from Jowai, Assam and other neighbouring regions.
Meanwhile, single-day tickets for the festival will start at Rs 2,500, inclusive of taxes. Tickets will go on sale on September 4 at 6 pm through RockskiTickets.com.
The 2026 festival will feature five international headliners in total, with two more acts yet to be announced.
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