Mela heads south for doorstep taster

The Kelvingrove Park event takes place on June 14 - marking a change from the usual two day affair.

But this year, dancers, drummers and flavours from across the world will take to the road for Mela on your Doorstep, taking place in Barmulloch this month before moving to Tramway on Saturday, May 16.

The multicultural festival is also supported this year by the Year of Food and Drink Scotland, delivered by VisitScotland and EventScotland.

Southside councillor Soryia Siddique, chair of the Mela steering group, told The Extra: “The Glasgow Mela has grown and flourished beyond the wildest dreams of everyone who organised, performed and attended that first edition at Tramway 25 years ago.

“It is continuing to evolve as we celebrate this important milestone, with the creation of Mela on your Doorstep.

“This celebration of Glasgow’s diversity has grown to become a crucial part of the city’s cultural offering.”

The first Mela took place in 1990 as part of the European City of Culture and was an indoor affair at Tramway - it has since been held in Queen’s Park and Glasgow Green, before settling in Kelvingrove Park in recent years.

Star performers have included Sukhshinder Shinda, Jas Dhami, the Dhol Foundation, Tigerstyle, Sona Walia, Malkit Singh, Aamir Shukat Ali Khan and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers.

Councillor Siddique added: “The Glasgow Mela is a celebration of the city’s incredibly rich and diverse communities.

“Over the last 25 years, we’ve seen many positive changes in our great city and the Glasgow Mela is an expression, through art and culture, of our city’s incredible friendliness and inclusion.”