35th Middlesbrough Mela to have a 'massive blockbuster line-up'
The event is being hosted at Albert Park
The 35th Middlesbrough Mela is taking place this weekend in a celebration of culture, music and diversity.
Albert Park will play host to the event today and tomorrow.
The multicultural showcase attracts visitors from across the region and beyond for its unrivalled mix of live performance, entertainment and food showcasing cuisines from across the globe.
Visitors are promised a heady mix of high-profile South Asian artists, home-grown talent, dance acts and family favourites.
Sunday’s line up includes several household name acts who have shaped the UK’s South Asian music industry including B21 who featured in the hit movie Bend it Like Beckham, Shin from DCS, Heera who are one of the most successful British Bhangra bands in history, and the legendary hit maker himself Sukshinder Shinda, who has produced or collaborated on more than 200 albums over a career spanning four decades.
Topping Saturday’s bill will be R’n’B sensation Jay Sean who is flying in especially to celebrate this monumental Mela year.
Jay made history by becoming the first South Asian artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and was the first British Asian artist to have simultaneous Top 10 Billboard singles in the US. With countless hits under his belt such as Ride it, Down, Eyes On You and Do You Remember, Mela organisers have pulled out all the stops in bagging this popular A-list artist,
They’ve also announced that Jay Sean’s headline performance on Saturday, 16 August 2025 will now be free of charge for all attendees. This decision reflects the event’s commitment to accessibility, inclusion and community celebration.
Mela Executive Director Kash Patel said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce that the Mela Board have agreed to remove the barrier of tickets and continue to make Mela free to attend even when we have such a massive international act such as Jay Sean headlining.
“Such is the power and strength of this festival that in keeping with the tradition of an all inclusive and all accessible event it just made sense to open it up to everybody and remove any financial barrier.
“We have curated an incredible line-up of main stage entertainment across the two days to celebrate this monumental milestone of 35 years and I’m sure our visitors won’t be disappointed.”
Other acts to look out for across a jam-packed weekend include award-winning singer-songwriter Saloni, the Hameed Brothers Qawwali group and Manak-E, fresh from recording for the Bollywood film industry.
The 2025 Middlesbrough Mela takes place on Saturday 16th August and Sunday 17th August in the town’s Albert Park from noon to 7pm on both days.
The event is free for all to attend and tickets are not required.
For the latest updates, visit their website or Facebook.