One of Northern Ireland's largest arts festivals bringing together music, dance, arts and food from across the world, is making a welcome return this weekend.
This year the 16th Belfast Mela Festival takes place from August 20-28 after a break of two years due to the pandemic.
The celebrations will include a carnival procession, world food market, silk road supper club and tea walking tours, culminating in the festival finale in Botanic Gardens.
Read more: Belfast Mela founder Nisha Tandon on 45 years since making a new life in NI
Hundreds of artists and up to 60,000 attendees are expected to attend events over the eight days.
This year’s Mela Festival, sponsored by Sensata Technologies, kicks off with a spectacular Mela Carnival this Saturday, 20 August through the streets of Belfast.
It will feature more than 40 cultural groups with spectacular new carnival floats including a 4.6m high Rooster, which is a symbol of Polish culture.
That will be followed by daily Mela Plus events across Belfast, leading up to the annual Mela Day extravaganza in the Botanic Gardens on Sunday 28 August.
Highlights of the 2022 Belfast Mela Festival include:
Saturday 20 August – A spectacular FREE Mela Carnival through Belfast City Centre from 12 noon at Writer’s Square to City Hall at 1pm.
In total, 1500 participants representing more than 20 different cultural groups will be taking part with pulsating world music and dance and amazing sculptures finishing at City Hall for breath-taking aerial acrobatics displays by Fidget Feet at 2pm and 4pm.
There’s also live global performances on stage hosted by U105’s Carolyn Stewart and UTV’s Paul Reilly along with food and arts workshops.
Mela Plus from 21 - 27 August – Daily music, dance, wellbeing and theatre performances including:
Roshni at Lyric Theatre on Monday 22 August – Enjoy Sonia’s distinctive style of dance, rooted in the traditions of Kathak from Northern India.
Neil Martin’s Connections Concert at St Anne’s Cathedral on Tuesday 23 August - Featuring 14 local musicians from across the globe now living in Northern Ireland.
Songs of the Earth on Wednesday 24 August at QFT Belfast - Special showing of this dynamic climate change animation film to celebrate Mela’s green credentials. ArtsEkta will plant a tree for every paid entry to Mela Day.
Silk Road Super Club at Banana Block on Thursday 25 August - Featuring a three course Eritrean meal inspired by the cooking stories of local asylum seekers and refugees.
Global Céilí on Friday 26 August at 101 Donegall Street - Fusing together dancing from Scotland, Ireland, China, Indian and Mexico
Mela Day at Botanic Gardens on Sunday 28 August - The city’s annual celebration of global cultures with thousands of visitors expected to visit Botanic Gardens from 12 noon to 6pm for the big Mela Finale hosted by U105’s Carolyn Stewart and UTV’s Marc Mallet.
The Full Mela 2022 programme is available here.
With the exception of the FREE Mela Carnival all Mela Plus events and Mela Day must be booked in advance online.
Tickets cost £8 adults, £6 concession (children aged between 5 - 15 and the over 60s) £16 family (2 adults and 2 children under 16). Children under 5 go free. Mela Plus events price varies.
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