THE 15th Belfast Mela has taken place, with thousands of visitors enjoying more than 40 events across the city in a shared celebration of our cultures and communities.

The popular festival returned for a week of events after the pandemic forced it to go virtual in 2020.

Thousands turned out throughout the week to enjoy world music, dance, food, theatre, art and wellbeing events both in indoor venues and outdoor spaces across the city including a Mini Mela hosted by U105’s Carolyn Stewart and UTV’s Paul Reilly in Writers'  Square and a spectacular lighting event staged at CS Lewis Square in East Belfast. 

Nisha Tandon OBE, Founder of Belfast Mela and Director of ArtsEkta, which runs the Belfast Mela, said: “We have had an amazing week celebrating cultural diversity as thousands of people turned out at activities across Belfast to celebrate the vibrant, intercultural and ambitious city Belfast is growing to become.

"I would like to pay tribute to all the artists who were involved in bringing this year’s bold vibrant and colourful Mela to life in such a safe and responsible way.

"We look forward to a spectacular return of Mela at Botanic Gardens in 2022, but given the success of this year’s additional events we plan to make Belfast Mela a week-long festival now going forward.”

Lord Mayor Kate Nicholl congratulated ArtsEkta on a successful week.

"ArtsEkta have put on such a wonderful programme of events over the past week and Saturday at Writers' Square was the culmination of it all," she said.

"I took part in a procession down Royal Avenue. We had samba dancers and music and it was lovely to see the reaction of people who were watching.

"The Mela is about celebrating the culture and diversity of our city. It is one of those days when you feel especially proud of Belfast."