Darjeeling MELOtea Fest to ring in Christmas with music and marathon

A melodious Christmas awaits for in Darjeeling this Christmas! Darjeeling police are spicing up the festive atmosphere with the “Darjeeling MELOtea Fest,” a two-day celebration of music and culture.

This event is set to take place on December 22nd and 23rd, coinciding with the annual Darjeeling Hill Marathon, the region’s biggest running event.

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The marathon, scheduled for December 24th, has a prize pool of Rs 9.8 lakh, making it the most lucrative hill run. With the tagline, “run the race, defeat the chase” the marathon will feature 21km and 10km runs including a 4.5km “walk for change” competition. The marathon route is IAFF and AIMS-certified.

MELOtea, a clever play on the words “melody” and “tea,” aims to provide a platform for budding musicians and celebrate the rich musical heritage of Darjeeling.

Darjeeling SP Praween Prakash expressed that there is immense musical talent and legacy in the people of Darjeeling. He said, “We just thought of creating a platform to help grow music and also tourism.”

The highlight of Darjeeling MELOtea Fest will be a music contest for bands, where different bands will perform and show their musical styles and talents. Darjeeling MELOtea Fest, with its tagline “tea, tunes & strings,” offers a total prize of Rs 10 lakh, making it one of the highest-paying rock festivals in the country.

Musicians and bands from Darjeeling and beyond are expected to participate and compete for exciting prizes and recognition. Ten bands will compete for the fest. After the initial round, five bands will be chosen to perform on December 23.

Among them, the top three will be judged by Parikrama, one of India’s top rock bands based in Delhi. There will be cash prizes for all the top three finalist. Additionally, there will be awards for best vocalist, guitarist, keyboard player, and drummer.