2 July 2026

Glasgow Mela brings free international music and arts to Kelvingrove Park

Musicians perform in front of a large crowd waving their hands in the air

This weekend, Glasgow Mela celebrates international music, dance, and arts at Kelvingrove Park.

Scotland’s biggest South Asian festival returns to Glasgow’s west end on Sunday, 5 July 2026, from 12 to 8pm. Local and international performers will play everything from traditional music to modern sounds for thousands of people at this free event.

The Mela is part of our Summer of Events programme, which also includes:

  • The Merchant City Festival (24 July-2 August)
  • World Pipe Band Championships at Glasgow Green (14 and 15 August)

Festivalgoers can look forward to a bold and varied line-up, including Bhangra, Bharatanatyam, hip-hop, alt-rock, qawwali, folk, jazz, soul, Indian classical, and electronic crossover music.

As a highlight of the Glasgow 2026 Festival, the Mela will feature standout performances and special projects by artists from across the Commonwealth.

In the afternoon, the Hamara Stage will feature acts like the Bombay Baja brass band, which blends Bollywood and street sounds (12:35pm), and Ottan Thullal (3:40pm), a traditional South Indian performance that combines storytelling, rhythm, dance, and theatre.

Later, the Navras Stage will feature headline performances by Glasgow-based DJ Gtown Desi (4:55pm), who plays Bhangra, hip-hop, and electronic music, the contemporary Punjabi folk band Apna Sangeet (5:35pm), and Punjabi singer Nachhatar Gill (6:45pm).

Throughout the event, the Hamara Stage will present a mix of artistic, spoken-word, and musical performances. Highlights include classical Indian melodies by Ustad Satwinderpal Singh (5:10pm) and Bollywood and Sufi music from the brother-and-sister duo Pooja Angra and Karan Rana (6pm).

As Glasgow prepares to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games (23 July–2 August), the King’s Baton will visit this year’s Mela as part of the King’s Baton Relay, celebrating Team Scotland, Scottish sport, the Commonwealth, and Scottish culture. The baton will be presented on the Navras Stage at about 3:05pm during a performance of Eadarinn, a new collaboration exploring Scottish and South Asian identity. The Glasgow 2026 mascot, Finnie, will also appear during the King’s Baton visit.

The 2026 Mela will offer creative workshops and interactive events. In the main workshop tent, you can join a Commonwealth Games-themed craft session (12–2pm) to make your own medals, or take part in an 'In Conversation' discussion (2–3pm) with the Glasgow Museums Intercultural Youth Group, led by young South Asians, about heritage, museums, and the legacies of colonialism.

The main workshop tent will also host a session focused on music, memory, and movement. Playlist for Life, a UK charity that uses music to support people affected by dementia, and Tarang Art and Wellbeing Association of Scotland (TAWAS), a Glasgow group supporting communities through dance and wellbeing, will lead this workshop (3–5pm). They will explore how nostalgic South Asian songs can spark connection, support wellbeing, and encourage conversation.

The Mela’s writer-in-residence tent will host a session with Creatives of Colour and the Scottish Black People and People of Colour (BPOC) Writers Network (12 to 5pm).

As always, the Mela market stalls will offer food from around the world. Well-known Indian restaurant Dishoom and rice brand Tilda are among the 41 stallholders at this year’s event. You can also try a variety of sports, including archery, cricket, hockey, and tennis.nd tennis.

For more information, visit www.glasgowmela.com or follow Glasgow Mela on Facebook and Instagram.