Eastleigh's famous Mela event returns this month
The event celebrates the diverse cultures in the Borough
Eastleigh’s vibrant celebration of its diverse cultures - the famous Mela event - is set to return this summer.
Mela is a Sanskrit word meaning meeting, fair, gathering or all kinds of celebration
This year’s event takes place on Sunday 20 July at the Leigh Recreation Ground (11 a.m. till 5 p.m.)and gives people the chance to meet up with fellow residents from Eastleigh’s diverse communities.
The Asian Welfare & Cultural Association (AWCA) began the Eastleigh Mela in 2006, working with the Borough Council, and since then it has gone from strength to strength.
Amongst the confirmed acts are: on the Park Stage with MC Coco P:
Kenwood and the Mixers
Ketan Kansara
Shahid Abbas
Chinese Association of Southampton
SocAfro Group & Calypso Don
The programme will end with a rousing bhangra beat from Happe Singh and Ricky Kasba.
In the activities area there will be a climbing wall, Lion Dance, Dragon Dance, Martial Arts and Juggling Jake’s circus skills.
On the Garden stage with MC Ramha there will be Irish dancers, Panatical Steel Band, Bollywood and classical dancers and Blue Apple Theatre
There will also be a belly dancer Jan Belly and Nepalese dancers.
Separately there will be food stalls, information stalls, henna stalls and also Sam the caricaturist.