The countdown to India’s biggest celebration of music & Good Times – The Great Indian Octoberfest, has just begun!

Kingfisher proudly presents The Big Mushroom Cloud Festival, a 12 hour musical extravaganza that gets some of the best known psychedelic rock bands, electronica acts & psychedelic DJs together to create an experience that is sure to leave you gasping for more by the end of it!

Here’s the awesome line-up: Parachute XVI, The Bicycle days : Drones From The Turbine , Clipped Winger Satellite, Parvaaz with Sufi Psychedelic Blues, Tempo Tantric , Dualist Inquiry , DJ BloodClot, Rosemary.

Sounds fun? Join us & hop on to the clouds!

The thrill started from Wednesday 11^th August when I was chosen as the winner of the Kingfisher Blue 4×4 Freedom Drive Contest on Facebook, an off road event organized by the Munzerabad Club in Sakleshpur and sponsored by Kingfisher Blue.

The three day experience, with all expenses & Good Times covered by Kingfisher Blue, was packed with adrenaline and adventure. An adventure I personally had never tasted and conquered, all I needed was to tackle some terrain and get to know some serious mud-slush. Friday the 13^th was completed with a small photo shoot with KF blue Gypsy followed by the ride to Sakleshpur, with 250 km being covered in 7 hours from Bangalore to the land full of coffee estates along with smoky mountain slopes and streams. The weather was pleasant and everyone in the rally was praying for rain to add more slush to the track. The night was busy with meeting contestants from across India.

Our stay was planned at the Munzerabad Club resort which was established in 1839 by British planters. This club organized “Munzerabad Arvind Off Beat Drive 2010”, in memory of one of the founder of this Off beat rally. There were about 110 4×4 vehicles that took part in this event with a bevy of Pajeros, Boleros, a Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol, Land Rover, Volkswagen Touareg, Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour and lots of Willys, M&M jeeps and Maruti Gypsies.

Next Morning the event started with flag off @ 8 A.M. for the 35 km circuit. Soon we hit the track and the dirt. With more than 150 ORV’s, the jungle track looked encroached and was thumped up with the gas. The drizzle made the ride cool and lovely, however the biggest challenge was the slush and mud as it was extremely sticky since it had been raining during the past few weeks. The lighter vehicles like Gypsys and Jeeps had the advantage for not getting stuck easily in the slippery mud. Apart from some serious mud, we had to negotiate some slippery and wet rocky terrains, which was real adrenaline pumping fun. With almost no grip and an incline, all the 4 wheels were engaged to cross the obstacle. The thrilling brooks were also conquered with all the excitements one could have.

Soon we reached our breakfast point, an oasis amidst tea estates: Tusk & Dawn Resort. The DJ was playing loud thumping music to push our tempo in the jungle. The rest was very brief with exotic body-paint dancers and some anchoring & soon we were back on 4 wheels. Owing to the rain, the route now had more wetness and mosses resulting in more leeches. We were given rubber boots to protect ourselves from mud and leeches. Some vehicles were winched to make cross the slippery gateways and boulders. We crossed some wooden bridges without any railing, along with lemon grass fields. These fields were so fragrant that one was completely mesmerized. Soon we found ourselves coming down the tea estates valley to Kadumane Resort.

This was the end of our 7 hour long off-roading experience. This was the place for after-party and late lunch. All the off-roaders felt awarded and they patted their own back and each other’s. The ride turned into a great party, indeed a Good time. The music was loud and echoing across the tea plantations. The wildness was energized by the zippy taste of Kingfisher Blue.

Late night we reached back to our Munzerabad base & the next morning I had a chance to witness the Independence Day parade by the children of a school nearby. I took some good pictures of migratory birds like Egret, Snakebirds and Darters, who took the shelters of Munzerabad old trees. After breakfast we packed and hit the road to Bangalore with an experience to remember!

A complete gobsmacked experience…

Thanks Kingfisher :)

Saurabh Raj Sharan

(Winner – Kingfisher Blue 4×4 Freedom Drive Contest)

How does the idea of a fun filled evening of great crowds, high spirits & Good Times sound to you? What if we say that a lucky few can win Kingfisher Airlines tickets, Kingfisher Holidays & even a Year’s Supply of Beer!!

Yes, that’s precisely what we have in store for folks in Bangalore. All you gotta do is catch the Kingfisher gang at any of these the Bangalore pubs -Beach, Windsor Pub, Down Town, Pubworld, Couch, Opus, Le Rock, Legends Of Rock, City Bar, Bull and Bush/Indi between August 27-29 & tell them what is your best Good Times Moment. If your answer is good enough, you stand a chance to win the crown of the King/ Queen of Good Times of your city and of course carry home the spoils of victory that follow!

To give you a flavor of the fun we’re talking about, here’s a sneak peek at what happened in Hyderabad!

Cheers!

P.S. Coming to many more cities very soon :-)

After hosting more than 100 participants in 2009, The Kingfisher Blue 4×4 Freedom Drive is back in 2010 for its third encore! Get ready for the no-holds-barred, adrenaline-pumping action in Sakleshpur, Karnataka in association with The Munzerabad Club on 13, 14 and 15th August.

This is your chance to win an all-expense paid trip to the rally and to drive the Kingfisher Blue 4×4 along the stretch, starting from Bangalore! Watch THIS VIDEO and tell us:

• If you were the driver in the car, what would you do next?
• Why do you believe you are driven enough to take the Kingfisher Blue Freedom drive?

The answer to both these questions need to be left in the comment box HERE on the Kingfisher Facebook Fan Page.

Terms & conditions:

• This contest is open to Bangalore residents only
• You need to be 18 years of age & hold a valid driving license

The contest is valid only till the night of Tuesday, August 10. The results will be announced on the Kingfisher Facebook Fan Page at 9.30 A.M. on Wednesday, August 11.

Got the drive? Time to put it to test!

Cheers!

The King of Good Times proudly brings back the biggest festival of music, fun & beer that India has witnessed – The Great Indian Octoberfest! If you thought last year’s event was big, wait till you see this one. We already have an unprecedented number of gigs lined up, with some of the best known acts making up the list. The crowds, fun, frolic & beer will also be bigger than ever – that’s one promise we’d like to make!

To give you enough proof of this promise, here’s presenting a series of gigs titled ‘Prelude to Octoberfest’ that will lead up to the weekend of TGIOF magic between October 22-24, 2010 at Palace Grounds, Bangalore. To kick off the celebrations, here’s one gig you would die for – Presenting Cemetary Gates : A noon to moon celebration of  music at Kyra, Bangalore on Sunday, August 8, 2010. Here’s the enviable lineup for the event:

Phew! Ain’t it enough to blow you away? Be there.

Cheers!

Over the last eight years, the Kingfisher Calendar has been the top fashion event of the country, responsible for launching many of India’s top supermodels & success stories in the world of glitz & glamour.

Last year, for the first time, space on the calendar was thrown open to girls from across the country. In a reality show like never before, 12 girls competed for 3 months for one page on the coveted calendar & amongst them, Himarsha Venkatsamy emerged the winner. This year, in a bigger,  hotter, naughtier and more nail biting event, 12 girls will again compete across 26 episodes to be the face of the calendar. Join Atul Kasbekar and Milind Soman as they are on the hunt to find the hottest girl of the country  in one of the most exciting reality shows .

Joining them will be celebrities leading fashion photographers and stylists from across the country as they test the oomph factor of the contestants. The stakes are sky high and the competition fierce & ruthless, this is a moment that can change lives.

In case you or any of your friends has it in them to be the chosen one, then hurry up! Entries will be accepted between 20^th July-20^th August, 2010. To enter log on to http://goodtimes.ndtv.com/kingfisher/home.aspx

Cheers!

When was the last time you experienced true freedom? Freedom from the daily stress, freedom from the rut life tends to get into, freedom to enjoy what your heart tells you to do! With just a few days before our country celebrates 63 years of independence, the Emperor of Good Times has decided to share the festive spirit of freedom through a small gesture that will surely add to the style quotient of our awesome fans!

If you are in Delhi, Bangalore or Pondicherry, all you need to do is to buy 2 cases of India’s finest brew – Kingfisher Ultra, from any of the outlets listed below and walk home with an exclusive Benetton wrist watch worth Rs. 3000! The offer is available at select outlets till stocks last, so hurry up – we’ve given you a great new reason to stock up on your favorite beer!

In case you happen to miss this, the Emperor of Good Times will ensure the joy gets spread amongst our online fans as well. For 5 continuous days – from Monday, August 9th till Friday, August 13th, 2010, we will be giving away 1 exclusive Benetton wrist watch each through contest on the Kingfisher Facebook Fan Page. If that is not enough, our Twitter friends also get 2 watches during the week through some interesting contests.

Outlet List:

The outlets for the city of Bangalore will be update shortly.

Excited? Keep an eye on this space for more and join us in celebrating the week of Freedom.

Cheers!

What is your definition of the Good Times on a weekend – Partying with friends? Heading out for a game of football? Watching a match & cheering your favorite team in team colors?

If you answered yes to any of these, the King of Good Times has got just the right mix of fun lined up for the weekend for you! Presenting the Good Times Quest – a contest that is not just fun but also checks out your social quotient of expertly accomplishing Facebook tasks.

Here’s the challenge – Be one of the first three to complete the 4 tasks that are thrown your way & walk away with some super prizes that will make your weekend extra special.

Contest Details:

• Anyone with a Facebook account can participate
• There will be a set of 4 tasks given from the Kingfisher Facebook Fan Page that will need to be accomplished
• Each task will be given only after the time defined for the previous task has lapsed
• All tasks will be shared with everyone
• At the end of the contest, we will select winners basis this:
  • The first 50 correct responses for Task 1 will be considered for Task 2
  • The first 25 correct responses to Task 2 will be considered for Task 3
  • The first 10 correct responses Task 3 will be considered for Task 4
  • The first 3 to complete Task will be the winners

Prizes:

• Grand Prize: 1 case of Kingfisher Premium Beer* + 5 Kingfisher Football T-shirts & 1 specially designed Kingfisher Football
• Runners Up Prize: A 6-pint pack of Kingfisher Premium Beer* + 2 Kingfisher Football T-shirts & 1 specially designed Kingfisher Football
• Third Place Prize: A 6-pint pack of Kingfisher Premium Beer* + 1 Kingfisher Football T-shirt & 1 specially designed Kingfisher Football
• *Note: In case beer availability is a problem in the city of the winning participant, we will compensate him/her with a prize of equal value

The contest would begin with the 1st task at sharp 3.00 P.M. on Friday, July 2, 2010 and end with the results at 4.30 P.M.

In case you didn’t believe your ears the first time round – Yes, winners get lots of Beer, special edition Kingfisher Footballs & Kingfisher Football T-shirts! Now isn’t that the perfect recipe for an AWESOME weekend!

May the real ambassadors of Good Times win!

Running and fun – Does it seem like a bizarre combination? With the King of Good Times, Kingfisher, promising its unique brand of Good Times, you can be assured of some awesome fun while you run at the Sunfeast World 10K Run at Bangalore on Sunday, May 23, 2010.

Be it fitness freaks, casual joggers or fun loving people with a few lazy bones, they’re all going to be there at the Bangalore World 10K Run this weekend. Apart from the joy of running, there is some serious fun lined up for one & all, with Kingfisher once again being the Good Times partner! For the young at heart, we present the Kingfisher Majja Run, a celebration of all that the run represents; fun, freedom of spirit & togetherness. There will be 2 contests for those ready to enjoy the Good Times at the Kingfisher Majja Run:

Kingfisher Bombaat Brigade: Running is never fun alone! Make your own hip squad & run with friends in a group of minimum 10 people and get everyone to follow a theme. The 2 most interesting groups in themes stand a chance to win cash prizes – 1^st Prize: Rs. 75,000 and 2^nd Prize: Rs. 50,000!

Kingfisher Sakkath Bangalorean: Running with a dash of humor, running for a cause you support or just feel like making a statement? Kingfisher rewards you for your free spirit and the desire to stand out in the crowd. Dress up in the best / most interesting/ craziest costumes you can think of & stand a chance to win awesome cash prizes – 1^st Prize: Rs. 30,000, 2^nd Prize: Rs. 20,000 and 3^rd Prize: Rs. 10,000!

The cheers we spread will not be limited to those at the event. If you want to win cool Kingfisher running T-shirts, participate in a simple contest by Clicking Here.

The Bangalore World 10K Marathon – It’s not just fun, it’s Good Times on the run!

Do you live for the thrill of adrenaline? Do you love to party & heading out with friends? If the answer to both these questions is yes, Kingfisher Blue has got something which will spice up your evenings when you visit your favorite hangouts!

Presenting the Kingfisher Blue Challenge – an exciting series of fun games for everyone to freak out on while chilling in the company of buddies! Be it drinking games like Yard Glass, Feeding Bottle, etc. or mind bending challenges like Puzzles or buddy group games like Fish in the Blue, Tug of War & many more -  we’ll have it all lined up for you. And the Good Times don’t stop there; we got some really cool merchandise to give away to the winners of these games!

All you need to do is get your buddies together, hop over to your favorite nightspot, have an amazing time playing all the Kingfisher Blue Challenge games & walk away with cool prizes! Sounds like an ideal evening, doesn’t it?

The dates and venues for Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Pondicherry, Gurgaon & Thane will be updated soon.

Enjoy the Kingfisher Blue Challenge!