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Following a record-breaking year in 2024 that welcomed nearly 60,000 visitors, this year’s nine-day cultural spectacular returns with an even more exciting line-up of global music, dance, theatre, wellbeing, food, art, and immersive experiences.<\/p>\n
The festival kicks off on Saturday 16 August at 12.30pm as the much-loved\u00a0Mela Carnival<\/b>\u00a0lights up the streets of Belfast for its fourth consecutive year. Expect an explosion of colour, rhythm and joy as hundreds of artists and community participants in traditional dress parade from Writer\u2019s Square to City Hall, accompanied by world beats, dazzling floats and infectious energy.<\/p>\n
Once the carnival reaches City Hall, the celebration continues with a free\u00a0Mini Mela<\/b>\u00a0from 1pm to 4pm, hosted by U105\u2019s Carolyn Stewart and UTV\u2019s Paul Reilly, featuring live performances, workshops, and family-friendly fun.<\/p>\n
A centrepiece of the Mela Carnival is \u2018When Worlds Collide\u2019,\u00a0<\/b>a moving outdoor theatre production taking place at 2pm and 3pm on the City Hall lawns . This poignant tale follows two young girls – one from the mangroves of the Sundarbans, the other from Belfast\u2019s rivers – who unite through themes of climate crisis, ancestral heritage and digital activism. It blends storytelling, original music and dance into a stirring call for environmental action created and performed by young people from across the city and beyond.<\/p>\n
And for the first time, organisers are bringing the magic of Mela to the\u00a0Cathedral Quarter<\/b>, supported by CQ BID as St Anne\u2019s Square, Commercial Court (Hill Street), and Cotton Court come alive with high-octane performances from Dhol drummers, Chinese Lion and Dragon dancers, Bollywood and Mexican dancers and the electrifying SPARK drummers from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday 20\u202fAugust at 7pm, firm festival favourite, the\u00a0Silk Road Supper Club<\/b>\u00a0will make a return to Holohan\u2019s Pantry for a journey to Tunisia. Led by\u00a0Carthago Head Chef Sabeh\u202fCyndi<\/b>, this five course feast invites guests to gather around the table for a rich and soulful dining experience inspired by Tunisia\u2019s diverse culinary landscape.<\/p>\n
A further exciting addition to this year\u2019s programme is the\u00a0Mela International Residency Programme<\/b>\u00a0with an exchange between renowned artists from India and Northern Ireland supported by the Arts Council of NI and the Prabha Khaitan Foundation in Calcutta. The Lyric Theatre will host,\u00a0T\u0101la,<\/b>\u00a0a dynamic performance on Friday 22 August at 7pm featuring acclaimed\u00a0Kathak dancer Shinjini Kumar\u00a0<\/b>alongside\u00a0percussionist Rishiraj Kulkarni<\/b>. Supported by residency and masterclasses, this work merges classical South Asian dance with local artistry under the vision of choreographers Lauren Martin from SADA and Ciaran Connolly from Irish Entertainment Group, offering an exchange of movement, rhythm and cultural insight.<\/p>\n
The Ulster Museum will host,\u00a0Shared Words, Shared Worlds<\/b>, a collaborative storytelling experience on Friday 22 August at 2pm bringing together writers from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, including\u00a0award winning Indian poet Dr. Sanjukta Das Gupta\u00a0<\/b>and\u00a0local writer Alicia McCauley<\/b>. Through shared narratives, participants explore identity, community and the many worlds within our words\u2014revealing the transformative power of language and connection.<\/p>\n
And of course, the festival\u2019s grand finale,\u00a0Mela Day<\/b>, returns to Botanic Gardens on Sunday 24 August from 12 noon to 6pm\u2014an unforgettable party in the park where tens of thousands will flock to enjoy the global sights, sounds, tastes and traditions that truly capture the spirit of Belfast\u2019s vibrant multicultural community.<\/p>\n
Belfast Lord Mayor, Councillor Tracy Kelly\u00a0<\/b>said:\u00a0<\/b>\u201cI can\u2019t wait to see our city filled with the wonderfully<\/p>\n
vibrant colours, sights, sounds and tastes of Belfast Mela again this year. Belfast City Council is proud to support this beautiful festival programme. It\u2019s set to bring a whole lot of magic and fun to the city for nine days \u2013 not least as the Mela Carnival winds its way through the city centre and Mela Day transforms Botanic Gardens. I\u2019d like to thank Nisha Tandon, ArtsEkta, and all the team who curate and make Mela possible – reminding us how exploring and celebrating diverse cultural traditions can add greater interest, meaning and joy to our everyday lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Economy Minister, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, MLA\u00a0<\/b>said: \u201cThe Belfast Mela is a powerful example of the importance of investing in cultural tourism.\u00a0 Mela showcases and celebrates our diversity to our community and to our visitors, while also driving economic benefit, supporting local businesses, and the north\u2019s reputation as a vibrant, inclusive place to live, work, study and visit.\u00a0 Supported by Tourism NI, and expected to welcome 60,000 people, Belfast Mela has firmly established itself as an exciting, cultural and creative celebration for all to enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nisha Tandon, OBE, Founder of Belfast Mela and Director of ArtsEkta<\/b>\u00a0said: \u201cAs we approach the 19th Belfast Mela, we\u2019re proud to unveil our most ambitious programme yet\u2014a vibrant celebration of the many cultures that now call Belfast home. Mela continues to flourish as a shared space of creativity, connection and belonging. This year, we look forward to welcoming even more visitors from across the island of Ireland and beyond to experience the magic of Mela\u2014a powerful showcase of diversity, unity, and the transformative power of the arts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Liam Hannaway, Chair, Arts Council of Northern Ireland,\u00a0<\/b>said: \u201cThe Arts Council of Northern Ireland is proud to support ArtsEkta and the Belfast Mela Festival, thanks to funding raised for good causes by National Lottery players.\u00a0 This year, we are particularly pleased to join with the Prabha Khaitan Foundation and ArtsEkta to announce a new element of programming to the festival, of music, literature and dance, through the Mela Residency Programme. With something to suit all tastes and ages, I would encourage everyone to go along and enjoy this spectacular and vibrant festival this August.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Allstate NI\u00a0<\/b>once again sponsors\u00a0Mela\u2019s Wellbeing\u00a0<\/b>events, with\u00a0<\/b>activities to suit all ages including a tranquil retreat with soothing sounds at the Tropical Ravine, Qi-Gong sessions, yoga, meditation, massages and much more.<\/p>\n
Kokila Nagaraj,\u00a0Chair, Ethnicity Employee Support Group \u2018Unity\u2019, Allstate NI\u00a0<\/b>said:\u00a0<\/i><\/b>\u201cBelfast Mela is more than a festival, it\u2019s a living celebration of unity, belonging and the beautiful richness of our shared cultures. Allstate is proud to support Mela\u2019s Wellbeing Programme, which nurtures both mind and body through the powerful intersection of heritage, healing and community. As we come together to celebrate what makes each of us unique, Mela reminds us that the sense of belonging we share is something we build together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tzvetelina Bogoina, Chairperson of Cathedral Quarter BID\u00a0<\/b>said: “Bringing the Mini Mela to Cathedral Quarter is a fantastic way to showcase the energy and vibrancy that makes this area so special. It supports our key goals of creating a cleaner, greener, and safer environment, while driving footfall and supporting the incredible range of businesses based here. Events like this breathe life into our streets and squares, bringing culture, colour, and community together, and helping us promote Cathedral Quarter as Belfast\u2019s most dynamic destination for culture, hospitality, and business.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/a>Mela Carnival<\/b>\u00a0is free with no tickets required.\u00a0Mela Day<\/b>\u00a0tickets cost\u00a0\u00a312 adults, \u00a39 concession (children aged between 5 – 15 and over 60s<\/i>) \u00a324 family (2 adults and 2 children under 16<\/i>) Children under 5 go free. Tickets for Mela Day must be booked in advance.\u00a0Booking and tickets for other events vary. Full information on all events and booking information is available online at\u00a0www.belfastmela.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n The Belfast Mela is principally funded by Belfast City Council, The Executive Office, The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Tourism NI, Community Relations Council and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.<\/b><\/p>\n Mela\u2019s Wellbeing sponsor is Allstate NI, media partners are UTV and U105 and this year\u2019s Cathedral Quarter Mini Mela is supported by CQ Bid.<\/p>\n Friends of Belfast Mela include Advice NI; Aflac; A&L Goodbody; Allstate NI; BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Embrace; Belfast Harbour; Belfast Vaults; Citi; CO3; Co-Ownership; CQ Bid; Danske Bank; Department of Finance & NICS; Equality Commission for Northern Ireland; EventSec; FinTrU; Grant Thornton; Hastings Hotels; Liberty IT; Phoenix Energy; Northern Ireland Housing Executive; Pinsent Masons; PSNI; PwC; Tony Clarke & Co; Translink and \u00a0Ulster University.<\/p>\n Follow ArtsEkta\u2019s social media for updates on this year\u2019s Belfast Mela Festival:\u00a0www.facebook.com\/artsekta1<\/a>\u00a0and Instagram and Twitter @ArtsEkta using #BelfastMela<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The 19th annual Belfast Mela Festival \u2014 the largest celebration of cultural diversity across the island of Ireland \u2014 as officially launched today by the\u00a0Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly\u00a0and the\u00a0Minister for the Economy, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, MLA. Guests were treated to vibrant live performances by\u00a0Kenyan-born musician Njambi\u00a0as well as an exclusive preview of … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24238"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24238"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24238\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24244,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24238\/revisions\/24244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}