Party time as Mela festival celebrates its 10th birthday

ONE of Belfast’s largest cultural events is celebrating its 10th anniversary tomorrow at the city’s Botanic Gardens.

The annual Belfast Mela will host artists, musicians and dancers from around the world as a way for people to learn about other cultures and celebrate diversity.

A musical carnival parade will proceed through Botanic Gardens, ending at Mela’s main stage.

Both local performers and artists from around the world will play music, sing and dance throughout the day.

The park will be filled with stands for henna hand painting, merchandise and food. Mela’s world food market will have international cuisines from places as diverse as Thailand, India, Poland, Spain and Mexico.

Over the course of a decade, around a quarter-of-a-million people have attended the festival.