First international cherry blossom festival in India

The chief minister of Meghalaya, Mukul M Sangma and Dinabandhu Sahoo, director of Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) announced that the India International Cherry Blossom Festival will be held in Shillong from November 8 to 11. They briefed the media regarding this on Monday in New Delhi. Sangma urged tourists, both domestic and international, to visit the state and participate in the festival to witness the extravaganza in Shillong. It is the first time in the country that the India International Cherry Blossom Festival will be held. It is also the world’s first to be held in autumn. There will be several community events, which include guided night walks under illuminated cherry blossoms, live musical events, a beauty pageant and stalls showcasing the cuisine, wine, arts and craft of the region.  Apart from this, there will also be a rock concert, traditional folk music, unplugged western music and dance performances from all over North East India, choir performances, photography competitions, bicycle rallies, storytelling sessions of local and world folktales , a women’s exhibition football match and a local golf tournament. Sangma said that the government had planted thousands of cherry blossom trees which are lined up inside beautiful bamboo tree guards for protection. Sahoo added that last year, the festival was held in collaboration with Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD). He said that the celebrations this year will be built on the success of last year’s festival.