The 6th Shillong Literary Festival is set to take place from November 12 to 14, 2026, at Ward’s Lake, Shillong. Supported by the Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya, the three-day festival will bring together writers, thinkers, artists and readers for conversations, storytelling, performances and cultural experiences.
Set against Shillong’s cherry blossoms, the festival will combine literature with the natural and cultural landscape of Meghalaya. The city, often described as the ‘Kyoto of the West’, will host literary voices from across India and beyond, while also highlighting the region’s storytelling traditions.
Ahead of the festival, the organisers have introduced “FIRST BLOOM: Discovering New Writing from the Northeast”, an initiative focused on emerging fiction and narrative non-fiction writers from the region. The initiative carries a prize pool of ₹75,000, with ₹50,000 for the winner and ₹25,000 for the runner-up.
The festival will also host two workshops on career opportunities in literature on October 26 at the State Convention Centre, Shillong. Kanishka Gupta will lead the morning session from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM, while writers Mitra Phukan and Lalnunsanga Ralte will conduct the afternoon session from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Each workshop will have 100 seats, with registrations on a first-come, first-served basis.
The 2026 edition follows a pre-festival event held earlier this year at Bikaner House in New Delhi. The event featured veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah, 2026 Pulitzer Prize winner Suparna Sharma and veteran journalist Shekhar Gupta, extending the festival’s engagement with the wider literary and creative community.
The Shillong Literary Festival will bring together the traditions, folklore and storytelling of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo communities with contemporary Indian and international narratives. Discussions will explore literature, culture and society, while creating opportunities for regional and international writers to interact.
Over the years, the festival has hosted authors including Banu Mushtaq, Vikram Seth, Shobhaa De, Shehan Karunatilaka and Francesc Miralles. Shobhaa De has described the festival as the “prettiest lit fest ever,” highlighting its setting and connection with Shillong.
Last year’s edition recorded more than 13,000 visitors. This year, the festival will continue to expand beyond literary programming with cultural and culinary experiences. Live music performances by artists from the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Program (CM-MGMP) will take place every evening, alongside food stalls featuring local culinary talent.
The festival is also expected to contribute to Meghalaya’s growing creative economy and cultural tourism by bringing together writers, artists, performers, local entrepreneurs and audiences.
