Folk music, Sufi melodies and street performers set the tone for the opening of World St., a new half-kilometre dining and retail promenade at Worldmark, Aerocity. It was launched with a two-day weekend celebration on 31 October and 1 November.
The festivities opened with Open Plate, a free, open-air music festival at The Commons in Aerocity's Gateway District. Folk maestro Kutle Khan headlined the evening, while DJ Sumit Sethi teamed up with Nashik drummers for a high-energy set. Emerging artists from Project Launchpad, a platform for new talent, also took the stage.
The second evening, World St. Live, was a private gathering of dignitaries and senior management from Bharti Enterprises and GMR Group. Its highlight was a performance by the KM Sufi Ensemble, a group founded and trained at A.R. Rahman's KM Music Conservatory. Guests also came across violinists, cellists, a harpist, a flautist, golden statue performers and unicyclists along the promenade, which gave the evening a carnival air.
The pedestrian street covers 2.6 lakh sq. ft. and has alfresco dining, green courtyards and art installations. It has 29 food and retail outlets already open, with more on the way.
"We want people to experience this place not just as a dining and retail destination, but as a vibrant public space where culture, community and everyday experiences come together," said S. K. Sayal, MD & CEO, Bharti Real Estate.