By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 31: The Meghalaya government is expecting the upcoming Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2025 to attract more than 50,000 overnight tourists this year, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Thursday. The festival, he added, will also see overall footfall in lakhs, including day visitors.
“We are hoping that we should be able to cross 50,000 tourists in numbers because even last year we were close to that, but we would like to go much more. I’m talking about outside tourists who stay the night, book rooms, and spend a few days here,” the chief minister said during a media briefing.
Unveiling the lineup, Sangma said the Cherry Blossom Festival 2025 will be “a grand celebration of music, art and culture showcasing the rich diversity of our state,” with global and local performers set to take the stage. Day one will feature The Script, Jason Derulo, and Nora Fatehi, while day two will see performances by Aqua and rap-pop sensation Tyga. The festival will close with a show by world-renowned DJ and producer Diplo.
The chief minister also announced a “special tribute to the legendary artist Zubeen Garg” to be performed by musicians close to him. The tribute will take place on one of the festival days. Local stars like Meba, Ophelia and Dappest X ADL, along with national and international artists including Girish and the Chronicles and Arius, will also perform.
The event will feature activities such as the traditional Mr. and Miss Cherry Blossom competition, cosplay, cherry blossom arm wrestling, and other cultural events. The festival zone will spread across multiple grounds—the main stadium, Polo Ground and MFA Ground—with tickets available both online and at box offices in Shillong.
Sangma invited residents and visitors to join the celebration, saying, “Let us come together to make the Cherry Blossom Festival 2025 a memorable experience for all.”
Responding to concerns about traffic congestion, the chief minister acknowledged the long-standing issue in Shillong but said systematic steps were being taken. “Traffic jam is not just today—it’s been for the last 50 years,” he said, noting that for the first time, the government had introduced regulated parking zones, collecting Rs 7 lakh in fees in the past two months.
Around 70-80% of this revenue, he added, goes back to localities managing the parking system.
He said several new parking facilities were nearing completion in different parts of the city, and traffic restrictions similar to previous international concerts would be implemented. “There will be no-traffic zones and no-car movement zones during certain time periods, which we hope will help us manage traffic better,” he said.
Asked whether the festival coinciding with school exams could cause disruption, Sangma said the government would take measures to minimise the impact. “We will definitely ensure that wherever such issues are there, we will try to minimise the impact on students who are giving exams,” he said.
Sangma also outlined the broader tourism vision behind such events. “Tourism is a process—you need to keep evolving,” he said.
“We have improved from where we were before. More homestays have come up, investments are being made, and the ecosystem is getting stronger. Tourists will go beyond Shillong, explore our destinations, and that will benefit citizens across the state,” the chief minister added.
Responding to critics questioning the rationale behind funding large festivals, Sangma said the government’s spending was balanced across sectors. “If you look at education, we spend Rs 3,500 crore every year; health, Rs 1,500 crore; and PWD road projects cross Rs 2,000 crore annually. Every sector gets its share,” he said.
He added that the festival has proven economic value. “Last year roughly Rs 20 crore was spent, and we managed to get a return of almost Rs 130 crore. That’s nearly five times the return. It shows that festivals like Cherry Blossom create jobs, boost revenue, and enhance Meghalaya’s brand value,” Sangma said.
He concluded that events like these have helped make Shillong “one of the most sought-after and most searched destinations on the internet”, strengthening tourism and generating year-round economic activity.
