A global singing superstar will headline the new Mela Coventry, an exciting two-day South Asian cultural festival, at the Ricoh Arena in the Midlands in August.
Bollywood favourite Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, who sells out shows across the world, will headline the Mela Coventry and take centre stage in a concert on Friday, August 12 to open the festival.
The show with the legendary performer on August 12 will launch the highly-anticipated Mela Coventry which will include Bhangra dance classes, fashion shows, a South Asian lifestyle exhibition, street food and a UK premiere of a latest Bollywood film.
The Mela Coventry will culminate on 13 August in an evening of Bhangra music and dancing in association with Touch FM, and will include top Bhangra acts Abrar Ul Haq, Shazia Mansoor, Sukshinder Shinda, Malkit Singh, The Legends Band and Dhol Drummers.
The Mela Dance School will host a series of free lessons in Bhangra and Bollywood dancing; and for the latest fashions and trends, you can visit the ‘Mahal’ for a free South Asian lifestyle exhibition featuring around 25 Midlands-based retailers and manufacturers and showcasing three Mela fashion shows on a specially constructed catwalk.
The tastes and smells of South Asian cuisine will fill the festival as the best of Asian street food is on offer to visitors, with acclaimed local and regional restaurants and chefs serving guests in the ‘Baajaar’ throughout the day on Saturday, August 13.
The day-time activities will also feature the UK premiere of a Bollywood film with 650 tickets priced at £10 per person available, starting at 2pm, in a specially created cinema.
Andy Gibb, Managing Director of the Ricoh Arena, said: “Rahat is a true global superstar and to hear him singing at the Ricoh Arena will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for his fans... This is the first Mela we have held and it will be unlike any other similar event in the UK since we will be providing a range of different entertainment to appeal to families from all communities in the Midlands.”
Tickets are available on www.ricoharena.com
