Shillong Cherry Blossom Fest ’24
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 25: The Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2024 was marred by allegations of black-market ticketing, as free passes, intended for sponsors and government employees, were reportedly sold at exorbitant prices. Additionally, some attendees were also reportedly found reselling their tickets at inflated rates, making it difficult for others to enjoy the festival.
Free passes, which were distributed among dignitaries, sponsors and government servants, were allegedly sold at prices far exceeding the original ticket rates.
This practice caused widespread dissatisfaction among festivalgoers, many of whom struggled to access tickets at face value.
“I was looking to buy a ticket but at the last moment, the prices had risen up. Then I saw several people in my contact list selling them. I was not sure if they were genuine,” said a frustrated attendee.
The festival, which featured performances by prominent artists, initially offered tickets at reasonable prices. However, the black-market resale significantly hampered access for many attendees.
It is pertinent to note that this was not the first instance of such issues in Shillong. Similar incidents arose during the Durand Cup earlier this year when counterfeit tickets caused chaos, leaving legitimate ticket holders unable to enter.
“If tickets and passes are going to be resold like this every time, it becomes a challenge for the public. There needs to be stricter oversight and better systems to prevent these problems,” an attendee remarked.
However, event organiser, Jason Manners, defended his role. “As an event organiser, I am liable to give complimentary passes out to all sponsors. What they do with them, I have no idea. It is given as goodwill.”