Two-day celebration of global culture, music and arts with Bhangra, Indian classical music, dance workshops, street performances and a Chinese dragon parade.
Southampton Mela returns to Hoglands Park on 18 and 19 July, a two-day celebration of global culture, music and arts produced by Art Asia Trust. It's been a summer fixture for two decades now, and it's billed as the largest free festival in the region, usually drawing around 30,000 people from across the South coast. The whole thing is supported by Arts Council England, and it's built around two stages, world food stalls, retail and community stalls, and a fun fair. There's also a flower installation by NUTKHUT, and Nayha Ahmad hosts the weekend.
Saturday is the big night for Bhangra. The headline set runs from 8pm to 10pm with Happe Singh, Navin Kundra, Sadi Jori and Sash, and there are two TEABREAK slots earlier in the day, from 1:30pm to 2:10pm and 5pm to 5:40pm. Sunday shifts the focus to Indian classical music and Kathak dance, with Pandit Sanju Sahai, Jaymini Sahai and Musical Friends. There's a full run of workshops too: African and Samba drumming, Bollywood dance, Tabla, and Chinese and African drumming. Out in the park, you'll find street performances from the Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band, Circus Raj and The Old Thumper Jazz Band, and a Chinese dragon parade. Between the two days, the music moves from Bhangra on Saturday to Indian classical on Sunday, with the workshops and street acts filling in the gaps.
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It's a free festival, so there's no ticket to book. The two days run 18 and 19 July at Hoglands Park, with the Bhangra headline set on Saturday night from 8pm to 10pm.
