The August Bank Holiday is nearly upon us and the people of Newcastle are going to be spoilt for choice for things to do to round off the summer. Foremost among the events on offer has to be the Newcastle Mela 2022, three whole days celebrating South Asian Culture.
The Mela has been running in the city for more than 25 years and has now expanded to a three-day event, with the first day – Mela In The City – taking place around Grey Street, Blackett Street and Grey’s Monument on Saturday August 27th and the main Mela being staged in Exhibition Park on Sunday 28th and Monday 29th.
Both Mela in the City and Newcastle Mela 2022 are entirely free and family-friendly, attracting visitors in their thousands to experience the best of South Asian Culture – primarily Pakistani, Bengali and Indian. ‘Mela’ means meeting in Sanskrit and that’s very much the spirit of the event, which will involve music, dancing, food stalls and family activities.
As the organisers have pointed out, ‘Everyone is welcome, from all backgrounds - we want communities to come together to celebrate and experience the relaxed atmosphere and everything there is to do and see.’
To kick things off, the fourth Mela in the City will be happening on Saturday. Presented in partnership with NE1, it will run from 11am till 4pm in the area around Grey’s Monument – expect dancing, music, arts and crafts and of course magnificent street food.
Appearing during the day’s programming will be B21 (award-winning Punjabi musicians), Bombay Baja (a infectiously melodic, highly colourful Dhol brass band), The Two Fridas (a dance production by Balbir Singh), SonAsh Sisters and Witty Look alongside a whole range of free family activities and entertainment: Dhol drumming workshops, Bhangra dancing, arts and crafts and henna tattoos, as well as the Spice FM Radio Roadshow.
As Taj Mohammed, Chair of Newcastle Asian Arts and Music (NAAM) and Event Director for the Newcastle Mela, said: “We have an unmissable programme of family-friendly entertainment and activity. We are excited to have the opportunity to work with NE1 again and together we are able to bring performances and activities into the city centre. We want people to join us at Mela in the City, as well as enjoy the main event in Exhibition Park over the Bank Holiday weekend’’
The main Mela in the park runs from midday till 8pm on Sunday and Monday and has really pulled out all the stops this year, with international stars like Sahir Ali Bagga, Gulaab and Tahir Nayyer appearing alongside acts including Zack Knight, Juggy D, Sama Blake, Mona Singh, Punjabi Hit Squad and Maz Bonafide. There will also be shows from Let’s Circus, Circus Raj, Witty Look, The Two Fridas and Bombay Baja.
Alongside the performances, the stalls are always a big draw. As well as all sorts of street food stalls showing off the best dishes the sub-continent has to offer, there will be a range of free activities for the kids – crafts, face painting, henna tattoos, climbing walls and some sports activities including football skills offered by NU Foundation and Northumberland FA.
This year’s Mela in the City and Newcastle Mela looks like being the biggest, most colourful (and tastiest!) yet, a perfect way to round off summer in the heart of the city.
