Westburn park was alive with the sights, sounds and smells of Aberdeen Mela – One World Day 2022 on Sunday.
Hundreds of performers and vendors headed for the north-east to share their culture and celebrate an event embracing both togetherness and diversity.
More than 14,000 people attended the festival this year, which was returning bigger and better than ever after three years of Covid and rain cancellations.
Visitors clutching exotic delicacies didn’t know where to look, with Chinese lions dancing in one direction and stages with jam-packed line-ups in another.
The festival was a family affair as little kids enjoyed the fairground and big kids warmed up ahead of the evening’s after-party at the Lemon Tree.
‘Best Mela yet’
Lucy Stroud, Mela‘s communications and marketing manager said this year’s festival is “the best yet”.
“The sun has been shining and everything has gone smoothly,” she said.
“It has been nice to bring the whole city together to celebrate multiculturalism and diversity.”
She added: “The whole city has come together enjoying other cultures’ food and just being together and enjoying each other’s company.
“There have been no bad vibes, it has just been an absolute hit.”
Ms Stroud believes Sunday’s event has put Aberdeen Mela “back on the map” and that it can only keep growing in years to come.
‘It was electric’
Performers came from all over the UK to perform at the festival, with Ms Stroud saying London-based DJ Sandyman and Raag Qawwali were big hits.
Sandip Chakravarty, who performs under the stage name Sandyman, said the atmosphere as he was performing at Mela was “absolutely rocking” and that he was excited to be at the festival for the first time after watching from afar for years.
He added: “The audience were having such a good time, it was electric.
“They were singing along, dancing along, they were amazing. We played a lot of Bollywood music and we found it was really diverse, the entire crowd, no matter their nationality, they were enjoying the music and having a good time.”
Ms Stroud said of the performers: “They’ve put on a real feast for the eyes and the ears, just so visually dynamic and stunning.”
Our best pictures from Aberdeen Mela
IN PICTURES: More than 14,000 move and groove to the return of Aberdeen Mela
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