If you are looking for plans this weekend, Southampton's biggest free arts celebration is taking over Hoglands Park. The Southampton Mela Festival 2026 is back on Saturday 18 July and Sunday 19 July, bringing its usual mix of music, dance, and activities. It is a massive, family-friendly event that has been running for two decades, drawing thousands of people to celebrate both modern and traditional Asian culture. The gates open from 12pm to 10pm on Saturday, and from 12pm to 8pm on Sunday, and you do not need a ticket to get in.
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Saturday's main stage features a packed line-up hosted by Nayha from BBC Asian Network, alongside Preeti Nayyar and Sutapa Mukherjee. You can catch performances by the Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band, Rakhi Sood and the TMC Dancers, and the traditional Baul music of West Bengal and Bangladesh from Papia das Baul & Ensemble. As the evening progresses, the energy builds with the STRINGS Band playing Bollywood classics, Qawwali music from the Khan Brothers, and a high-energy Bhangra finale featuring Sash, Happe Singh, Navin Kundra, and Sadi Jori.
On Sunday, the festival kicks off with the powerful rhythms of the DKK drums. The afternoon continues with Chinese Arts Southampton, Indian classical music and Kathak dance from Pandit Sanju Sahai and Jaymini Sahai, and African Activities CIC. The big highlight of the day is the headline performance by Padma Shri Velu Aasan, a world-renowned percussionist who was awarded India's fourth-highest civilian honor in 2025 for his work revitalizing the traditional Parai drum. He will be performing a fusion set alongside Prathap Ramachandra.
Beyond the main stage, there is plenty to do around the park all weekend. You can join interactive workshops in the dedicated tent, covering everything from Tabla drumming with Iqbal Pathan to Bollywood dance with Shreya Chugh and Kanisha Mehta. There are also roaming performers like Circus Raj, visual arts workshops featuring Rangoli and Chinese calligraphy, and a children's fun fair. Keep an eye out for TEABREAK, an audio and dance journey served from a hand-painted tuk tuk, and a special exhibition from the New Forest Heritage Centre focusing on historical Indian army hospitals.
Published Date
16 July 2026
