Croydon mela

Over 40,000 people flocked to the festival organised by Croydon Council, and it has been hailed as the most successful ever.

On Saturday, July 13, over 10,000 people enjoyed the World Party including a headline performance by jazz legend Courtney Pine, who so enjoyed playing to an appreciative audience that he wanted to play on beyond the 8pm finish.

Since its birth in 1997, the Croydon Mela has grown every year and this year's attendance of 30,000 (up from 23,000 last year) from all sections of the borough's community shows its enduring popularity as London's largest celebration of Asian culture.

Beside a variety of music, dance, theatre, there were a huge number of stalls selling Asian crafts, clothing and delicious food to cater for any taste.

The Mela provides a platform for local artists, ranging from dance and music to theatre, to showcase their talents.

This year's performances did not disappoint and the headline act, the biggest selling mainstream Asian artist, Taz and his band Stereo Nation thrilled the audience with their fusion of Bollywood and pop.

But there was something for everyone and much of the youth in attendance gathered round the Nach Arena where up-and-coming young MCs, Dholblasters and the Punjabi Hit Squad, performed.

Cabinet member for cultural services Coun Raj Chanadarana said: "This has been the best World Party and Mela ever. The thing that made it such a success this time, apart from the tremendous hard work of the organisers and the big acts that were playing, was the beautiful weather.

"The Mela is not exclusively an Asian festival, and we changed the name to the Croydon Mela this year, because it's about celebrating the diversity of culture in the borough. This weekend we saw all sections of Croydon's community all having a wonderful time together and I think this weekend united Croydon."

July 17, 2002 12:00