Snow in Shillong?

The Snow Festival, recently held in Shillong, was introduced as a novel attraction aimed at offering visitors a unique experience in the city. Designed to spark curiosity and excitement, the event drew attention through extensive promotion and the promise of an unusual snow-themed setting at Ward’s Lake, one of Shillong’s most popular public spaces. For many, the idea of experiencing ‘snow’ in the city was intriguing and generated considerable interest.
According to the organisers, the festival was also envisioned as a platform to introduce their newly established company to the public.
Snow Festival organiser, Manmohan Mishra said the company officially started on February 6, and the event was planned to familiarise people with their work, ideas and future plans.
According to him, the event was meant to serve as an introduction, allowing the public to understand what the organisers aim to bring to the city through future initiatives.
Ward’s Lake as ideal venue for snow themed experience
Explaining the concept behind the Snow Festival, Mishra said the he believed the idea would work well in Shillong, particularly at Ward’s Lake, given its scenic surroundings and popularity among both residents and tourists. He said the location was chosen deliberately, as it is already a well-known public space, and the organisers felt that adding a snow-themed attraction would create a unique experience aimed at igniting curiosity and excitement.
Organisers explain use & safety of artificial snow
Addressing questions raised about the snow itself, Mishra clarified that it was artificially created using a sodium-based chemical that resembles salt in appearance. He described it as an off-white granular powder and said that the same type of chemical is also commonly used in fertilizers. Emphasising safety concerns, he said the chemical used to create the snow had been tested and was safe for children.
Encouraging public curiosity, say organisers
Mishra said the public response to the festival had been encouraging, noting that many visitors appeared to enjoy the snow, water lanterns and other attractions. He added that people were particularly curious about the snow, as it was a new experience for most attendees.
Planned attractions dropped due to venue constraints
However, several planned attractions such as photo booths, a lotus tunnel and other installations could not be set up due to changes in the venue. Mishra said the organisers had initially envisioned a much larger experience but were limited by logistical constraints.
Bigger plans & snowfall effect promised next year
Looking ahead, he said the team plans to introduce an actual snowfall effect in the next edition of the festival, expressing hope that future versions would be more elaborate and immersive. According to him, what sets the Snow Festival apart from other events is the presence of snow itself, which offers a rare and distinctive experience. But did it live up to the hype?
Parents say experience fell short of expectations
Yet, feedback from visitors, particularly parents, told a different story altogether. Many said they were initially drawn by heavy promotion on social media, which created high expectations around the event. Upon visiting Ward’s Lake, several parents said the experience failed to match the hype surrounding the snow.
One parent said the snow did not meet expectations and described the overall experience as disappointing. When asked whether the festival felt different from their usual visits to Ward’s Lake, the parent said it offered nothing significantly new or memorable.
‘Disappointment’: Visitors question snow & overall experience
The same parent added that they would not bring their children back specifically for the Snow Festival in Ward’s Lake though they hoped it might improve in the future, admitting they were not very optimistic. When asked what moment they would remember the most, the response was blunt: “a big plastic slide.” Describing the festival in one word, the parent summed it up as “disappointment.”
Pricing & decorations draw criticism
Another parent raised concerns over pricing, saying the entry fee was too high and should have been ₹100 or less instead of ₹200. According to them, the event was not up to the mark and did not leave an impact comparable to other events held in the city.
Yet another parent criticised the decorations, saying they relied heavily on plastic materials and character cut-outs, which they did not appreciate and felt took away from the ambience.
Children recall slide as festival highlight
Speaking to children at the event, they said they were happy and that the slide would be the part of the festival they would remember the most.
Social media mocks Snow Festival as event fails to meet expectations
The displeasure among people was evident even on social networking sites.  Social media was flooded with memes and posts mocking the snow festival, with many users criticising the event for failing to live up to the hype and expectations that had been created.
Author notes gap between hype & ground reality
From a first-hand observation, the festival appeared to rely heavily on social media hype rather than on-ground delivery. Personally, the festival was not up to the mark, as the experience fell far short of what was promised online. Visitors entering the venue were greeted by a large flex sheet laid on the ground to resemble snow, along with a display at the entry point that read “Welcome to the North Pole,” which further heightened expectations that were not met inside.
Overall, the Snow Festival revealed a clear contrast between the organisers’ intentions and the experience reported by visitors, highlighting concerns over execution, value for money, and overall impact. The question is for the conscious to know and understand why and how these festivals have taken centre stage when it leaves most with a feeling of disenchantment.