Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival

The India International Cherry Blossom Festival is a four-day urban festival held every November in Shillong, timed to the autumn bloom of the Himalayan wild cherry (Prunus cerasoides). It is one of very few autumn cherry-blossom festivals in the world.

The festival blends nature, music, fashion and food, with concerts by Indian and international acts, a craft and food village, fashion shows and night-time blossom illuminations across central Shillong.

• Himalayan wild cherry (Prunus cerasoides) in full bloom
• International and Indian music headliners
• Fashion, food and craft pavilions across the city
• Night-time blossom illuminations at Ward's Lake

• One of very few autumn cherry blossom festivals in the world
• Cool, comfortable weather ideal for first-time Northeast travellers
• Strong live-music programming on par with national festivals
• Excellent food, cafés and stay options across Shillong

The festival was launched in 2016 by the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD, Imphal) in partnership with the Government of Meghalaya, the Forest & Environment Department and Meghalaya Tourism, to draw attention to the Himalayan cherry's autumn flowering — a phenomenon unusual outside East Asia — and to develop Shillong's autumn tourism calendar.

• Annual dates: typically a four-day window in mid-November, aligned with peak bloom.
• Main venues: Ward's Lake, Polo Ground and Hotel Polo Towers in Shillong.
• Bloom timing varies by 1–2 weeks depending on the monsoon; check the Meghalaya Tourism site close to the date.

The festival is pan-Northeast and city-based rather than community-led. Audiences and performers come from across Meghalaya's Khasi, Jaintia and Garo communities as well as visitors from neighbouring states.

The festival serves three overlapping purposes — ecological (raising awareness of the indigenous wild cherry and pollinator forests), cultural (a marquee platform for Northeast and pan-Indian music) and economic (anchoring Shillong's high-season tourism around a single brand).

• Himalayan wild cherry (Prunus cerasoides) in bloom along Ward's Lake, Polo Ground and avenues across central Shillong.
• Indian and international music headliners across rock, indie and electronic genres.
• Fashion shows, beauty pageants and a Miss Shillong contest.
• Craft, food and lifestyle pavilions featuring Meghalayan producers.
• Night-time blossom illuminations at Ward's Lake.

• Air: Guwahati Airport (GAU) is the most convenient, ~115 km from Shillong (3–3.5 hours by road via NH-6). Umroi Airport (SHL) near Shillong has limited connectivity.
• Rail: Guwahati Railway Station is the nearest mainline railhead.
• Road: Shared taxis and Meghalaya Transport Corporation buses connect Guwahati and Shillong all day.

No special permits are required for Meghalaya.

November in Shillong is cool and pleasant, with daytime temperatures around 14–20 °C and nights dropping to 6–10 °C. Pack layers, a light jacket and an umbrella for occasional showers.

Shillong offers the widest range of accommodation in the Khasi Hills — boutique stays in Laitumkhrah and Nongthymmai, mid-range hotels in Police Bazaar, and a growing homestay network. Rooms book out quickly for festival week; reserve at least a month in advance.

• Ward's Lake at first light gives the cleanest reflections of the cherry blooms.
• A 35 mm or 50 mm lens covers most street-level blossom shots; a longer 85–135 mm isolates individual sprays well.
• Night-time illumination shots need a small tripod or steady surface.

• Mawphlang Sacred Grove, ~25 km south of Shillong.
• Elephant Falls and Shillong Peak.
• Laitlum Canyons, ~45 minutes from Shillong.
• Cherrapunji (Sohra) for the living root bridges, a comfortable day trip.

A curated selection of photographs from Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival. All images are placeholders until license-cleared festival-specific photographs are sourced — see our photography policy.

Image pending reviewShillong Cherry Blossom FestivalAwaiting licensed photograph

Image pending reviewShillong Cherry Blossom FestivalAwaiting licensed photograph

Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival is a living cultural event hosted by the Pan-Northeast community. Please attend as a respectful guest, not a spectator.

• Day 1 — Arrive Shillong; sunset walk along Ward's Lake and the cherry-lined avenues of Upper Shillong.
• Day 2 — Full day at the festival: Polo Ground daytime cultural showcase and evening music headliners.
• Day 3 — Morning at Laitumkhrah and the Don Bosco Museum, afternoon at Mawphlang Sacred Grove.
• Day 4 — Day trip to Sohra (Cherrapunji) — Nohkalikai Falls, Arwah cave and Nongriat root-bridge viewpoint.
• Day 5 — Elephant Falls and Shillong Peak for cherry-blossom panoramas, then transfer to Guwahati.