Travel Alerts
newsShillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2026 Moves Back to Madan Kurkalang, Bhoirymbong
Organisers have dropped the New Shillong venue announced in August. The 20–21 November festival returns to Madan Kurkalang in Bhoirymbong, about 30 km from Shillong.
The Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2026 will be held at Madan Kurkalang in Bhoirymbong, not at the New Shillong Highland Grounds. The organisers announced the change on 1 October 2026 on the festival's social media, citing public demand for the venue. The dates stay the same: Friday 20 and Saturday 21 November.
Madan Kurkalang, the ground at the RBDSA Sports Complex in Ri Bhoi district, hosted the festival in 2023 and 2024. In August the organisers had named the New Shillong Highland Grounds as the festival's new permanent home.
What changed
| Announced in August | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Venue | New Shillong Highland Grounds, Mawkhanu | Madan Kurkalang, Bhoirymbong |
| Distance from Shillong | About 30 minutes | About 30 km, an hour or more on festival evenings |
| Dates | 20 and 21 November 2026 | No change |
| Headliners so far | Khalid, Swae Lee, Boys Like Girls | No change |
What it means for travellers
- Tickets: sold on RockskiTickets from Rs 2,500 per day. If you already hold one, watch the ticketing page for updated entry gates and timings.
- Getting there: Bhoirymbong is near Shillong's airport at Umroi. From Guwahati you can turn off the highway at Umiam without entering Shillong city.
- Getting back: in 2024 the first evening at this venue saw long traffic jams. Book a cab for the whole evening and agree the return pickup before you go in.
- Where to stay: Shillong has the most rooms and the cherry trees. Umiam is closer to the venue if a shorter drive back at night matters more.
No official traffic, parking or shuttle plan for 2026 had been published by 3 October. This story will be updated when one is.
For routes, parking and a festival-day timeline, see Breeziah's guide to reaching Madan Kurkalang and the full Cherry Blossom Festival 2026 guide.
At Madan Kurkalang, the RBDSA Sports Complex ground in Bhoirymbong, Ri Bhoi district, about 30 km from Shillong. The organisers moved it back there on 1 October 2026.
No. The festival is still on 20 and 21 November 2026.
Nothing announced so far says so. Check RockskiTickets, the official seller, for updates on gates and timings.
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