The annual summer festival is much-awaited event but todays price tags of many performing artists are beyond reach for the organizers and the festival has been gradually losing its charm. From being a month long festivity where artist felt honored to preform for token money this time its duration was just four days. Even the venue now stands relegated from the Ridge to the ice-skating rink.

Kushwant Singh once described Shimlas Mall road in summer becomes another Chandni Chowk of Delhi. One would bump into a familiar Delhite during the stroll. Now days it would not surprise many to find familiar Chandigarhians walking along side happily out of the heat. And most were there for the evenings packed Punjabi pop music.

Rain dancing is not just for films as Harbhajan Mann on his debut here found out. Considering it one of his best shows the singer promised to come back again for the crowd danced to peppy tunes well into the night in rain. The downpour had started the moment Harbhajan Mann stepped onto the stage on Monday evening.

Gurdass Mann has become a favourite with the crowds here. The entertainers performance on Wednesday evening went past midnight and had chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal siting in the audience right through the evening. Ashan Bharti Ghoongroo Wala preformed on the Tuesday evening and Peenaz Masani is scheduled to preform today [Thursday evening]

Water scarcity in Shimla having been overcome and with schools closing down for summer vacations, the Mall road, the Ridge, Kufri, Naldera and other picnics spots are full of merry makers out on a holiday.