Festival season in full swing with Boishakhi Mela

As the weather heats up, so too does festival season in Tower Hamlets – and this year promises to be a scorcher with the Boishakhi Mela in Victoria Park on Sunday, 22nd June. The Boishakhi Mela is the largest Bengali outdoor event in Europe and is a fantastic day out for the whole family. The event moved to its new home in Victoria Park last year and proved to be a huge success. The Boishakhi Mela Community Trust (BMCT) is organising the free event that celebrates Bangladeshi music, arts and culture and which is supported by Tower Hamlets Council.

In addition to a full music programme there will also be a funfair, Bangladeshi sports and a vibrant market place selling arts and crafts, jewellery, clothing and delicious hot food. The traditional curtain raiser for the event, the grand parade will this year begin from the west side of Victoria Park. Featuring schoolchildren, dancers and performers the parade will burst with colour and vibrancy as it proceeds through Victoria Park. The BMCT are working on programming a line-up of A-List singers for this year’s festival including Kumar Sanu, Ashik Rahman and Mehreen (names correct as we go to press, but may change).

There is strictly no parking at the festival or in the surrounding area and there will be additional enforcement in place throughout the event. All visitors will need to arrive by public transport. The nearest tube stops are Mile End and Bethnal Green and buses 277, 425 and D6 will drop you close by the park.

•For all the latest on the event visit www.boishakhimela.org.