The T&A decided to take a trip down to this year's Mela. Here's what we thought.
Bradford City Mela 2026 takes place on August 1 and 2 in City Park and Centenary Square and is considered a major celebration of the city's unique culture, community, and heritage.
It's the first mela since 2013, so there's a lot riding on this weekend.
The event aims to revive and reimagine the historic Bradford Mela for a new generation, incorporating music, dance, food, fashion, art, and live performance.
Organisers said the 2026 Mela would mark "the beginning of a bold new cultural celebration," describing it as "a powerful celebration of identity, community, and culture - honouring the legacy of past melas while introducing a fresh new vision for the future of Bradford’s cultural landscape."
What is a mela?
For those not from Bradford, or new to the city, the concept of a mela may be unfamiliar.
The word "mela" comes from Sanskrit and means a gathering or meeting.
Melas across the UK have long served as vibrant celebrations of culture through music, food, and performance.
Bradford’s Mela has a special place in British cultural history because, first held in 1988, it is recognised as the first South Asian mela in Europe and grew to become one of the UK’s largest.
Originally staged behind the University of Bradford, it later moved to Lister Park and then Peel Park, drawing crowds of more than 100,000 over a single weekend.
The festival became known for its lively mix of bhangra and Bollywood performances, food stalls, visual arts, funfair rides, and community exhibitions - which aims to reflect Bradford’s multicultural identity.
Despite its popularity, the Mela faced challenges with weather-related cancellations in multiple years.
This year however, the sun was in full force.
What we thought
The Mela was awash with people watching the live acts, sampling the food and generally just sitting and soaking up the relaxed atmosphere.
There were plenty of stalls from street hawkers selling balloons and toys to clothes and jewellery stands and, of course, plenty of food options.
Everything from pink tea and chapattis to burgers and brownies was available to buy and sample.
The NHS and various other vital services and volunteering hubs had information stations too.
I saw dancers in brilliant costumes heading to the stage but unfortunately missed their performance.
What the people of Bradford thought
Faisal Khan, 45, from Listerhills, said: "It's a great day, everyone making the most of the sunshine, coming together, experiencing this together.
"Bradford is united."
Mum-of-two Charlie Beckett, 39, told the T&A: "The kids are loving it. It's great having something free to do."
Student Aisha Choudhury, 22, said: "I never got to go to other melas because I was so young.
"Events like this make me proud to be from Bradford."
It lived up to my expectations
It really was an uplifting experience to see everyone making the most of the day and enjoying the sunshine.
Bradford City Mela goes to show just how strong community is to the people of Bradford.
I think the 2026 revival lived up to the original spirit of a mela.
