Middlesbrough Mela returns to Albert Park on 15 and 16 August for its 36th year, with organisers promising one of its strongest line-ups yet.
Saturday’s bill is headlined by a tribute act dedicated to Michael Jackson, alongside bhangra artist Sona Walia, with the free festival running from noon to 7pm across both days. Expect an international food and drink offering, a shopping bazaar, free cultural workshops, a funfair and a full programme of children’s activities, alongside the main stage entertainment.
BBC Asian Network returns as official broadcast partner for a second consecutive year, bringing live coverage, competitions and giveaways across the weekend. Kash Patel, executive director of Middlesbrough Mela and curator of its main stage programme, said the broadcaster’s return was a mark of the event’s growing reputation.
“As one of the world’s leading broadcasters, the BBC’s continued partnership with Middlesbrough Mela is a significant endorsement of the event’s growing national profile.”
Patel added that BBC Asian Network’s history of partnering with Melas in cities such as London, Manchester and Birmingham makes its return to Middlesbrough proof the town is “firmly establishing itself on the national cultural map.”
First held in 1990, Middlesbrough Mela is the longest-running Mela in the UK and typically draws crowds of up to 50,000 people. It’s free to attend, with no ticket required.
