We have been there twice & everything was nice. Okay, that might have been a lame attempt to rhyme but this editorial isn’t one. It’s not one to convince you for SulaFest ’16, which is back with its 9th edition on February 6th and 7th, but one where we wish to tell you a story about our experience there over the years & you can be the judge of it. Are you game?
Getaway From The City Madness
A club night with a few drunk friends is fun, a sleepover on your beloved weekend is dearly lazy but what if there was a way to kill two birds with a single bullet ? Or rather why don’t you follow the birds out of your noisy city life on a Saturday afternoon and watch the Sun set across the Mountains sipping on some quality wine at a Vineyard! Sounds fun? Hold on, we are just starting up.
One For The View
Good wine can only come from good grapes which can only be as good as their terroir, a marriage of geographical and climatic conditions. Set across the Dindori village, off the main highway is the visually stunning Sula Vineyards. Over seeing a lake on one side and plateaus on the other, surrounded by the greenery of wine plantations, it’s a view one would kill for.
Also when was the last time you saw an amphitheatre at a music festival? No we are not talking about barren rough unlevelled lands where it’s even difficult to walk at times, we are talking about a semi circular Ancient Greek architecture set up to listen to live music. Love at first sight?
The Atmasphere stage which has shifted amidst the vineyards this year will truly live up to its tagline of #TheRhythmOfTheVines as we say!
The Pleasant Melodies
Sula brings bands to India that have millions of fans around the world but are yet to break through in India.
The Sound of Sulafest has been a mixture of relaxing & energetic tunes with enough to offer for everyone’s experience. With over 100 international & national artists spread across 25 plus genres, this is the true definition of variety & gives you a chance to lend a ear to unheard melodies.
World renowned ska band The Cat Empire are one of the headlining acts for the festival, and are making their Indian debut, launching a new album “coincidentally” called Rising with the Sun, much timing we say!
The likes of DUB INC ( Reggae), SUCCESS (Electro-Rock), DELHI 2 DUBLIN (Dhol, Celtic, Fusion, Pop), REGGAE RAJAHS (Reggae, Dancehall), MADBOY/MINK (Electro-Swing, Funk, Pop), RODNEY BRANIGAN (Rock n’ Roll, Blues, Country) & many more will be joining them over the weekend.
The other headlining act for Sulafest ’16 would be the magical sufi band Kailasa with Kailash Kher as its front man, we are hoping for some crowd singing to happen. Teri Deewani anyone ?
It’s An Elegant Affair
It’s way more than just a Gourmet World Music Festival held on a Vineyard on the peaceful outskirts of a city. Sulafest is a legit Litt Litt affair. You are surrounded by the best of wines from Sula & Yardys, listening to the best of artists spanning across many a genres amongst the most elite club of society, trust us on this when we say that Sulafest attracts the best of goods. On a personal note, we bumped into quite a few celebrities chilling on the green pastures of the vineyard, our advise, keep that selfie stick charged up. Vero Moda will be launching their spring summer collection through a fashion show at SulaFest with Anushka Manchanda as their show stopper who will also be performing during the fashion show. Yes, a fashion show too!
At SulaFest ’16 life shall as always be effortless with Swiggy on board as a food delivery partner and they will ensure you get your food from the now 20 + different cuisines which can be delivered to wherever you are at the fest, then be it the vineyards or a corner of the amphiteather. An experiential Cointreau cart should be on your list to lookout for & with Airtel Money as a pay partner, enjoy cashless transactions & keep your wallets at bay.
Camping Under The Stars
Why stay between four walls when you have reached out to the nature far from your city comfort? Sulafest’s Let’s Campout is the perfect answer to it. From its experimental first attempt last year to an expansion of 350 odd tents this year, one must say Sula has come a long way to ensure you have a natural experience out there.
Wine Wine Wine
How can we not talk about alcohol when it comes to a wine festival held at a Vineyard ? Sula should be your first choice of the lot out here with their libations on offer from their imports arm Sula Selections. Their newly revamped and expanded Tasting Room is a must visit, Florence Tarbouriech has created a magic wonderland with the extension another 200 people can enjoy the breath-taking view of the vineyard from the balcony.A live wine and ice cream pairing with their indulgence partner London dairy is something to look out for too.
Hardy is back again as a partner, which means more wine. Asahi on beers , Grant’s Family Reserve for Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Bourbon, Stolichnaya Vodka and Monkey Shoulder (the world’s first Triple Malt Scotch Whiskey) should serve you enough options out there. Apart from drinking, you can even make some wine out there with a few grape stomping & wine making workshops at the festival.
Calm In The Middle Of The Storm
It’s a festival where you can let go of yourself, kick of your shoes & lay down on the grasslands & chill on the bar stands all at the same time. The beauty of this festival is that it lets you enjoy a peaceful moment out there even when you are surrounded by stages on the either side, which is a rarity nowadays when it comes to a musical gathering.
The days are kicking in shorter & the nights are getting chilled & longer as we await to pack our bags & get on with Sulafest 2016, who’s joining us? Get your tickets here.
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