Shillong, Aug 31: Khalid, Swae Lee and Boys Like Girls (in picture) were announced as first international headliners for Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival to be held on November 20–21 at New Shillong Township festival ground.
In a statement issued on Monday (Aug 31), the organisers said two more headliners will be revealed soon. Tickets will go on sale from.September 4 (Friday ) at 6 PM.
Tickets start from Rs 2,500 inclusive of taxes. The official ticketing platform is RockskiTickets.com
The organisers said following a blockbuster 2025 edition, the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival is set to return promising another major celebration of music, culture and entertainment in Meghalaya.
One of the most anticipated annual events in the region, the festival enters an important new chapter this year as it moves to a new permanent home in New Shillong.
The state government has allocated a new dedicated festival ground for the event, which will be known as the New Shillong Highland Grounds. .
The venue is envisioned as a permanent destination for large-scale festivals, concerts and events in the state, with the 2026 Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival set to be among its first major showcases.
The move follows a successful 2025 edition of the festival, which brought an international line-up featuring Jason Derulo, The Script, Tyga, Diplo, Nora Fatehi and Aqua to Shillong.
The three international acts for the 2026 edition, range from R&B, pop, hip-
hop and pop-punk.
Khalid leads the first wave of announcements. The American R&B and pop superstar has become one of
the defining voices of his generation, with global singalong anthems including “Young Dumb & Broke” and
a career that has earned him seven Grammy Award nominations.
Joining him is Swae Leel one of contemporary pop and hip-hop’s most recognisable voices. The multi-
platinum artist is known globally for his work as one half of Rae Sremmurd as well as major solo collaborations, including his performance alongside Post Malone on the worldwide No. 1 smash
“Sunflower” from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Adding a completely different energy to the festival are American pop-punk favourites Boys Like Girls.
Formed in 2005, the band became synonymous with the 2000s pop-punk and alternative-rock era through
enduring fan favourites including “The Great Escape,” “Thunder” and “Love Drunk.” Their catalogue and
collaborations have helped them retain a strong following across generations, making their Shillong
appearance one of the festival’s biggest draws for rock and pop-punk fans.
And the line-up isn’t complete yet.
Festival organisers have confirmed that two more major headliners are still to be announced, taking the
international headliner count even higher for the 2026 edition.
More about new home for festival
The announcement of this year’s headline acts has come slightly later than originally anticipated, with the
shift to the new venue requiring changes across festival planning, artist logistics and communications.
With large international touring artists requiring extensive technical, production and logistical planning, the
transition to the New Shillong Highland Grounds impacted timelines for several artist confirmations.
With the venue now finalised and the first three international headliners revealed, organisers say the festival campaign will move into full swing in the weeks ahead.
The New Shillong Highland Grounds is being planned specifically with the requirements of large-scale
events in mind. The festival will feature multiple entry and exit points, adequate parking facilities and
dedicated traffic-management planning to make movement to and from the venue more convenient.
The government will also put in place a comprehensive traffic and mobility plan aimed at ensuring smooth public movement throughout the festival weekend.
The location has been selected to provide accessibility not only for residents of Shillong but also for
audiences travelling from across Meghalaya, Assam and other neighbouring states.
The venue is approximately 30 minutes from Shillong, while also providing improved accessibility for
audiences travelling from the Jowai side and from Assam and neighbouring regions.
