Ending February with a bang, Mahindra Open Drive, a limited capacity festival, completely sold out with 500 people in attendance The Mahindra Group’s ‘Mahindra Open Drive 2022’ (MOD) presented itself in a novel avatar as an exciting drive-out festival experience. Held on 26 February 2022 at Camp Max, Kalote Mokashi, MOD was a rejuvenating festival that celebrated music, arts, culture and adventure. Beginning at noon on Saturday, the day-long festival stayed true to being an ‘open drive,’ witnessing attendees drive down from Mumbai and Pune, to a camping ground to kick back and unwind thereby promoting a culture of driving out. Furthermore, it offered multiple outdoor activities such as kayaking, mural painting and even pottery, apart from a line-up of incredible music performances. While popular VJ Zerxes Wadia lent the open drive his high-octane energy, the festival also saw an eclectic mix of artists fusing their own personal touch with vibrant performances. Well-known musicians like Benny Dayal & Funktuation ft. The Hornflakes, When Chai Met Toast, Peter Cat & Recording Co., Voctronica, Kamakshi Khanna, and Raghav Meattle mesmerised the audience, who let their hair down and danced their hearts out in an evening/night of musical revelry. In addition to this, the guests also participated enthusiastically in several art and cultural activities such as pottery workshops, mural painting workshops and more that promoted diverse kinds of art forms alongside music. The mural painting workshop, mentored by the Homework Studio, saw the audience add their unique creative strokes on a custom-made canvas, which eventually transformed into a collective master artwork and the festival’s own personalised backdrop! Brown Living’s Sustainability Bazaar played host to over 200 native sustainable brands, each one presenting its line of eco-friendly and plastic-free products. The Bazaar sold a wide-ranging array of knick-knacks—from personal care, home essentials to fashion accessories, and so much more, giving guests a chance to go green and stylishly save the environment. Meanwhile, the food spread, curated by Gourmet Tales Co, included seven burgeoning homegrown entrants like The Dough Therapy, Hungry Cat Kitchen, The Fromagerie, Ka Pie!, Sliders and Fries, Pratap Jees, and Dope Coffee for the attendees to indulge in, alongside a Ballantine’s bar. The alfresco-style festival was also equipped with comfortable and cosy tents that set the perfect ambience for a refreshing weekend for the attendees who drove down, looking forward to a revitalising day packed with fun and adventure sports. Jay Shah - Vice President, Cultural Outreach - Mahindra Group, said, “Each edition of ‘Mahindra Open Drive’ aims to travel to new destinations across the country to enable the audience to discover the art, music and culture that complements the chosen location. This year, we strived to do the same by engaging attendees in the indie spirit of reinvigorating Western India through camping along a picturesque landscape as well as enjoying a rich melange of music, culture and adventure. The festival is all about building bonds, celebrating life and creating unforgettable memories.” As India's first drive-out festival for 2022, MOD’s destination—Camp Max, cradled in the valley of Mount Max and overlooking clear blue waters of Lake Kalote—offered audiences a perfect getaway from the mundane WFH routine. Moreover, weather-proof tents with air beds were also provided to those interested in staying the night at Camp Max and checking out the following morning. The curated festival followed all relevant social distancing, safety and hygiene protocols.