Tourism NI supports “ambitious” Belfast Mela Festival

(L-R) Aakanksha Shukla, from ArtsEkta's South Asian Dance Academy, Nisha Tandon OBE, Founder of Belfast Mela and Director of ArtsEkta, Emily Magee, Events Development Manager at Tourism NI and Lauren Martin, also from ArtsEkta's South Asian Dance Academy.

The nine-day programme of music, dance, food and art, which takes place from August 16 to 24, celebrates Belfast’s cultural diversity and communities.

The first Belfast Mela was held in 2007, bringing together just a few hundred people in Botanic Gardens.

Almost two decades on, thousands of people are set to attend this year’s festival, which begins with the magical Mela Carnival, a spectacular parade through Belfast city centre, which finishes with a party in the grounds of City Hall.

An exciting programme of events is planned for throughout the week across the city before the traditional Mela Day finale on August 24, which will see Botanic Gardens transformed into a global wonderland of music, dance, food and art.

An estimated 60,000 visitors are expected to attend this year’s event with at least 10% coming from outside of Northern Ireland.

Since 2016, the total estimated economic impact of the festival is in excess of £2.8 million.

Belfast Mela Festival is one of 14 events which recently secured funding through Tourism NI’s International Tourism Events Fund. 

The ITEF supports events that attract significantly high levels of visitors to Northern Ireland while also generating international media coverage, which helps to showcase the region as a must-see travel destination. 

Emily Magee, Events Development Manager at Tourism NI, said: “Tourism NI is delighted to support the Belfast Mela for the first time through our International Tourism Events Fund.

“This recognition reflects the festival’s growing appeal to visitors from across the island of Ireland and further afield, and its unique role in showcasing the vibrancy and diversity of our culture.

“We applaud the ambitious evolution of this event across the years which strongly aligns with our goal of supporting experiences that have the potential to attract international visitors and enhance the north’s reputation on the global tourism stage.”

Nisha Tandon OBE, Founder of Belfast Mela and Director of ArtsEkta said: “As we approach the 19th Belfast Mela Festival, we’re proud to unveil our most ambitious programme yet - a vibrant celebration of the many cultures that now call Belfast home.

“Mela continues to flourish as a shared space of creativity, connection and belonging, and it’s great that we have the financial support and expertise of Tourism NI to help grow our international audience. 

“This year, we look forward to welcoming even more visitors from across the island of Ireland and beyond to experience the magic of Mela - a powerful showcase of diversity, unity, and the transformative power of the arts.”