Bradford will honour its rich South Asian heritage this weekend with the launch of the Bradford Food and Lifestyle Mela, a vibrant two-day celebration set to take over Lister Park on July 19 and 20.
Inspired by the legendary melas of the 1980s and 1990s, the free event promises to bring back the spirit of those bustling festivals that once attracted crowds of up to 100,000.
Music, fashion, food and community will come together in a dynamic, family-friendly showcase of cultural pride.
Bradford made history in 1988 as the first UK city to host a traditional South Asian mela. But after the final one in 2012, the annual celebration quietly faded.
Now, organisers behind the Bradford Curry Mela, in collaboration with Lala’s Restaurant, aim to bring that legacy roaring back to life.
Junior Rashid, of Lala’s Restaurant, said: “We know there’s a real desire in the community for the mela to return.
“It’s more than just an event, it’s a celebration of culture, diversity and heritage. We hope this will bring back fond memories while creating new ones, with something for everyone to enjoy.”
The mela will run from 11 am to 7 pm on both Saturday and Sunday, offering live music, cookery demos, street food, fashion stalls, a funfair, and community performances spread across the park.
The main stage will feature a diverse line-up including global fusion legend Apache Indian, viral favourites Maz Bonafide and Silverfinger, girl group Girls Like You, and Bhangra pioneers B21.
Local community artists will also take to the stage, sharing everything from Qawwali and Naat to Bollywood and folk sounds.
Food lovers can head to a dedicated cookery theatre hosted by Parveen the Spice Queen, who will be giving live demonstrations and running workshops throughout the weekend.
Visitors can explore over 50 stalls offering street food, crafts, South Asian fashion and lifestyle products. Family activities and a funfair will keep all age groups entertained across the park’s green spaces.
On Sunday evening, the spotlight will shift to the Threads of Grace: Power of You fashion show, staged in the scenic gardens of Cartwright Hall from 8 pm to 10 pm.
But this is no ordinary catwalk. Collections from IK Collections, Bombay Stores and Shiffonz will be modelled by a line-up of public figures sharing personal stories of resilience, self-love and identity.
Participants include ITV’s resident GP Dr Amir Khan; Alison Lowe, Deputy Mayor of West Yorkshire for Policing and Crime; former councillor Richard Dunbar; Fatima Patel, managing editor of RF Media & Publishing Ltd; Rubina Niazi of The Bradford Aunties; and PR consultant Sian Karia, who will represent plus-size women.
Adding some spice to the festivities is the BoomGappa Challenge, a fast-paced gol gappa eating competition sponsored by Heera Foods.
Contestants will compete to eat as many of the crisp, spicy chickpea-filled snacks as they can in just 60 seconds.
The challenge will run throughout the weekend, promising big laughs and messy moments.
The mela is part of a wider wave of cultural programming as part of Bradford’s year as UK City of Culture.
Organisers hope this year’s event will reignite an annual tradition.
Councillor Mohammed Amran, who has supported the mela’s revival, said:
“This is a fantastic and much-needed event and a chance for people from all communities to come together and enjoy one of the best parks in Europe.
“A mela like this should be a regular celebration in Bradford.”
Open to all and free of charge, the Bradford Food and Lifestyle Mela invites everyone to bring a picnic, browse the stalls, and celebrate a shared sense of community through food, fashion and music.
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