130 artistes to perform at North East Spring Festival 2026 in Dimapur

DIMAPUR — The North East Spring Festival 2026 (Festival of North East) will be held from February 26 to the 28th at the NEZCC Complex, Dimapur.

According to an update, the festival is being organised by the North East Zone Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Dimapur, in collaboration with the South-Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC), Nagpur, under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture.

It will be celebrated alongside the Madhya Dakshini Festival 2026.

The festival aims to promote and preserve the folk and tribal cultural heritage of Northeast India, provide a national platform to traditional performing artistes, and strengthen cultural exchange between the Northeast and Southcentral regions. Programmes will commence from 5 pm each day.

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Cultural groups from all eight Northeastern states will present traditional art forms, with 130 folk artistes participating. From Nagaland, Nzanta (12 artistes), led by Ovungbeni Ovung, and Tenem (15 artistes), led by Guru Rarenbenba, will be presented. Bands and choirs including Blue Temptation (Shillong), Coronation Choir (Dimapur), 6 Strings (Guwahati) and Bhramos (Kohima) will also perform.

Under the Madhya Dakshini Festival 2026, 83 artistes from SCZCC states will present dance and music traditions from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.

Extended programmes are scheduled from March 2 to the 3rd in Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh, and March 5 to the 6th in Ri-Bhoi, Meghalaya.

The festival is being led by Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee and Director of NEZCC, Dimapur, Dr. Prashanna Gogoi, and Astha M. Karlekar, Director of SCZCC, Nagpur.