The mela, an annual event, will be held in Mote Park over two days on Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, September 12 – and you could be part of it too.

In the past the Mela has attracted more than 35,000 people since it began in 2003 and organisers want this year to be no different.

Gurvinder Sandher, Organiser of the Mela and Director of Cohesion Plus, said: “This year we want as many people as possible to take part. We’re looking for stall holders, volunteers and community groups to be part of this big celebration of diversity and culture.

“This year we plan to have something for everyone. The Mela is an important part of Maidstone’s culture and all of the activities we are planning are a great example of people working to bring communities together.”

A launch parade with a schools parade is planned for July 14.

The Mela is organised in partnership by Maidstone Borough Council, the North West Kent Racial Equality Council and Cohesion Plus.

If you would like a stall or want to volunteer for the Mela 2010 email Alastair Barker on alastairbarker@maidstone.gov.uk or call 01622 602508.

The aim of the Festival of Light was to bring the communities of Gravesham together through the arts, and has been inspired by the Cultural Olympiad which promotes the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship and the Paralympics values of empower, achieve and inspire.

Youngsters danced through the streets with 2 parades starting simultaneously from the front and back entrances of the Saint George’s Shopping Centre. They met at the cross junction outside Woodville Halls before going towards the Woodville Halls Theatre to the sound of drums with Bloco Fogo Samba, Blazing Brass, Four by Four Bhangra and Lucky Moyo African Drummers.

The celebration continued inside the theatre as they enjoyed performances by DJ Lethal Soundz, Four by Four Bhangra, Gravesend Grammar School for Girls and Live Politics as well as interactive activities and exhibitions.

Gurvinder Sandher the Director of Cohesion Plus who co-ordinated the event said “The response we had from the communities of Gravesham was again so positive. I was not sure how the 2 parades would work, but from the feedback I have had it worked really well. There was a real positive buzz in the town centre and it was so pleasing to see the communities of Gravesham coming together as one”

Cabinet Member for Communities Cllr David Turner said: “What a fantastic event this year’s Festival of Light was.

“The balance this year was better than ever. The music and dance was fantastic, it was a very colourful event that everyone seemed to enjoy.”

The Festival of Light has been organised by local arts organisation Cohesion Plus in partnership with North West Kent REC with the support of Gravesham Borough Council and Kent County Council.

Here are some photos from the event, please click on the photos to make them larger.

The Mela this year showcased some of the best young talent in the bhangra business who were be performing in Dartford for the very first time. Highlights at this year Mela included performances by emerging Bhangra Superstars Jaz Dhami, Rana Sahota and JK. The audience screamed down the house when these acts came on. In addition there was a special fusion of Street Dance and Bhangra dance put together by Four by Four Bhangra in partnership with Cohesion Plus.

Alongside the performances on stage there were stalls selling food, henna painting and displays and information available on a wide range of local services including Kent Police, Kent Fire & Rescue Service and North West Kent REC.

Gurvinder Sandher from Cohesion Plus who co-ordinated the whole event said “The Mela has again proved to be popular in Dartford. The audience really got into the show and gave really good support to all the acts that played. The highlight for me was seeing the queues of people waiting to get their autographs with some of the stars from the Mela tonight. It is really positive to see such an event like this in Dartford”

Rana Sahota commented “It was the first time that I have performed in Dartford and the response was really good. It was great to meet so many of my fans here in Kent. I look forward to coming back to Dartford shortly once my new album is ready”

Here are some photos from the event, please click on the photos to make them larger.

In addition to the children and parents, the parade also involved Bloco Fogo Samba Group, Lucky Moyo African Drummers and the Four by Four Dhol Drummers.

Dev Sharma MBE the Director of North West Kent REC said “Dartford has always prided itself on its positive community relations. Events like this just underline this point. It was so great to see the community of Dartford come together as one”

The Festival of Light was organised by local arts organisation Cohesion Plus in partnership with North West Kent REC and the Dartford East and West Local Children’s Services Partnerships. The parade started on the green outside Central Library, and then went through the High Street, where it stopped at One Bell Corner Bank for live music performances by the Bloco Fogo Samba Group, Four by Four Bhangra Group and Lucky Moyo African Drummers. Then parade then continued on back to the starting point.

The aim of the Festival of Light was to bring the communities of Dartford together through the arts, and was been inspired by the Cultural Olympiad which promotes the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship and the Paralympics values of empower, achieve and inspire.

According to Gurvinder Sandher the Director of Cohesion Plus who co-ordinated the event “I have been overwhelmed by the response. It was so fantastic to see so many young people and their parents come out and participate in the Festival. I am looking forward to working with our partners Dartford Borough Council, Kent County Council and Kent Police to see if we can do something even bigger next year as there is clearly interest in an event like this in Dartford”

Here are some photos from the event, please click on the photos to make them larger.

Jassi was followed on stage by Mercury a Queen Tribute Band who proved to be as equally popular. In addition to the live performances plus there was an amazing light installation by Emergency Exit Arts which had been commissioned by Cohesion Plus.

According to Gurvinder Sandher the Director of Cohesion Plus “I was not sure what type of crowd we would get due to the fact that it was the first time we were doing the Mela Night event. I was pleasantly surprised and have been greatly enthused with the positive feedback which I have received. I enjoyed both Jassi’s and Mercury’s performance and look forward to working in partnership with Maidstone Borough Council to do something even better next year”

Here are some photos from the event.

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The Mela, which means gathering, has attracted more than 35,000 people since it began in 2003 and this year is expected to be no different as it expands for the first time into a two-day event.

On Saturday, September 12 at Mote Park from 6pm to 9pm crowds will be treated to stage performances from Bhangra singer Jassi Sidhu and Queen Tribute act Mercury. There will also be a light installation by Emergency Exit Arts.

On Sunday, September 13 at Mote Park from 1pm to 6pm there will be a schools parade, community stalls, local community acts and much more.

Cabinet Member for Community Services, Cllr Marion Ring, said: “This year is going to be packed with arts, music, dance and food from all around the world- it really is a festival of fun. What’s more it’s free to attend.”

There is a host of other activities going on throughout the town to celebrate the Mela, which this year is being supported by the Downs Mail.

· Saturday, August 22 – 11am-1pm and 2pm-3pm – Chinese Dragon making at Maidstone Library, St Faith’s Street.

· Saturday, August 29 – 11am-3pm – Gurkha food and traditions in Fremlin Walk.

· Saturday, August 29 – 10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm – Mela design workshop at Maidstone Museum.

· September 5 – 11am-3pm – music, dancing and toys in the Mall, Chequers.

· September 5 – 10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm – mela collage at Maidstone Museum

· September 5 – 11am-2pm – Funky music and fun at Springfield Library.

· September 12 – 10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-3.30pm – mela collage at Maidstone Museum

Cllr Ring added: “This year there is so much to do there’s something for everyone. The Mela is an important part of Maidstone’s culture and all of these activities are a great example of people working together to bring communities together.”

The Mela is organised in partnership by Maidstone Borough Council, the North West Kent Racial Equality Council and Cohesion Plus.

Gurvinder Sandher, Director of Cohesion Plus, said: “I am really pleased with how the Maidstone Mela has developed. The Mela has evolved from a one-day celebration of music, food and dance to one which celebrates the diversity of Maidstone over several months.”

This year for the first time the Mela will take place over 2 days. On Saturday 12 September Bhangra Superstar Jassi Sidhu and Mercury Queen Tribute Band will perform on the stage between 6pm -9pm, plus there will be an amazing light installation by Emergency Exit Arts to transform Mote Park which has been commissioned by Cohesion Plus and has been funded by Arts Council England.

On Sunday 13 September there will be stalls selling national and regional cuisine, displaying crafts and displays of national dress. While on the stage there will be a full programme of culturally diverse entertainment ranging from Bhangra to Hip Hop to Street Dance between 1pm and 6pm including an exciting fusion performance of music and dance by Four by Four and Mahua Arts.

Last year the Mela attracted in the region of 10,000 visitors and this year’s event promises to be bigger and better.

According to Gurvinder Sandher the Director of Cohesion Plus “This year we have worked very hard in partnership with local community groups and our partners to ensure that we have a Mela which caters for the diverse communities of the borough.  I am very pleased with the artistic line up and look forward to seeing how the Saturday night Mela concert goes down.  There is always a worry when you try something new at an established event such as the Maidstone Mela but I am confident that the local community will come out and support it”

Jassi Sidhu who will be performing in Maidstone for the first time commented “I am looking forward to playing in Maidstone.  I have heard some really good things about the Mela and hope that the communities will come and enjoy my brand of contemporary bhangra pop music”

Cabinet Member for Community Services, Cllr Marion Ring, said: “The Mela is an important part of Maidstone’s culture. This year’s parade will see scores of children showcasing their art work through the town and will be a taster of what September 12 and 13 will bring. It’s a great example of people working together to bring communities together.”

The Mela is organised in partnership by Maidstone Borough Council, the North West Kent Racial Equality Council and Cohesion Plus. This year it will take place in Mote Park on September 12 from 6pm to 9pm and September 13 between 1pm and 6pm.

At the launch of the Mela, which takes place on July 7, there will be a colourful parade with pupils from St Michael’s, Archbishop Courtney, St Francis, Hollingbourne, Senacre Wood and West Borough primary schools.

The parade will be led by the Four by Four Bhangra dhol drummers and will feature Bloco Fogo. It will start outside Marks & Spencer in Week Street at 10.30am. The celebrations will then lead down Fremlin Walk before reaching Brenchley Gardens for a flag raising ceremony.

Since 2003, the Mela has attracted thousands of people each year to Mote Park, where they have enjoyed performances of music and dance from around the world.

Gurvinder Sandher, Director of Cohesion Plus, said: “I am really pleased with how the Maidstone Mela has developed. The Mela has evolved from a one-day celebration of music, food and dance to one which celebrates the diversity of Maidstone over several months.

“The launch is an excellent example of how young people are now involved and this year’s launch will be the biggest to date. I believe the work we are doing in Maidstone is a beacon for other parts of the country and is an excellent example of how the arts can be used to promote community cohesion.”

During the first part of the day, visitors were treated to a range of acts, including a combination of traditional and contemporary Zimbabwean music from Zimbaremabwe, a specially commissioned Dhol and Dhaki Fusion performance by Four by Four and Mahua Arts, dance by St Paul’s Rusthall Primary School and folk rock from around the globe performed by the Hot Rats.

Performances in the second half of the day included a fusion of traditional bhangra with contemporary pop and hip hop beats from B21, sounds of the Caribbean from the Phase 5 Steel Band, Four by Four Bhangra Group, and the Latin Fusion of Casabella.

In addition to the colourful stage programme there were an array of stalls ranging from Indian, to Chinese to British to East European food as well as an array of information stands including Kent Police, Kent Fire Rescue and Service and the Environment Agency.

Gurvinder Sandher the Director of Cohesion Plus said:

‘I was very pleased with how the Mela went. Months of hard work have gone into pulling everything together and I would like to pay tribute to all the partners for their commitment and effort in making this happen. Particular highlights for me were the performances by Zimbaremabwe, B21 and Casabella. It was so pleasing to see a range of culturally diverse artists and music styles on stage and the poor weather did not put people off. I felt the artistic content this year was the strongest to date which was due to the funding we received from Arts Council England and I look forward to working with our partners to ensure the Mela is even more of a success next year. ’

Bhota Jagpal from B21 commented:

‘We perform all over the UK and I was so pleased that at this Mela there were different communities and cultures mixing together, joining in and having fun. We had a really positive response to our performance from the audience, the majority of whom would not have even heard our music before, and I look forward to coming back to Tunbridge Wells again in the very near future.’

Cllr Catherine Mayhew, Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing, said:

‘This year’s Mela was once again a resounding success and members of the steering group were invaluable in making it so, helping with distributing posters and leaflets and encouraging local people to be enthused. The Tunbridge Wells Mela provided the perfect opportunity for communities to come together and celebrate diversity in a fun and fascinating way.’

Here are some photos from the event.

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Click on the poster image for a larger view. You can download a full version of the poster as a pdf file by clicking here: Tunbridge Wells Mela Poster pdf.

In addition to the exciting stage programme there will a range of activities taking place including drumming workshops, face painting, arts and craft workshops, food from around the world and information stands from organisations such as Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue and The Environment Agency.

The Mela is organised in partnership by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, Cohesion Plus and North West Kent Racial Equality Council with the support of a Mela Project Steering Group. Cohesion Pus also secured some funding from Arts Council England for the Mela.

Gurvinder Sandher from Cohesion Plus commented:

“This is the 4th year that the Mela will be taking place in Tunbridge Wells. Each year we have managed to develop it further and this year with the support of Arts Council England we have managed to organise a very successful launch event and further develop the programming for the Mela. I would also like to pay tribute to our partners Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for their commitment and positive energy and hope that the sun will shine on us on Sunday”

For more information visit www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk/mela.

Here are some exclusive photos from the day.