Festivalgoers browsed stalls and sampled food from around the world at the 2025 Glasgow Mela
22 June 2025
Glasgow Mela draws in huge crowd
Thousands of festivalgoers enjoyed a day of free music and arts as the 2025 Glasgow Mela attracted a huge crowd to Kelvingrove Park.
Despite a rainy start, the sun made an appearance and so did the crowds, with more than 21,000 people treated to performances by local and international acts on Sunday 22 June.
Performers including Gtown Desi, Saloni and Maya Lakhani starred as Scotland’s biggest South Asian festival of music, dance and arts once again drew in visitors from near and far.
The Mela is delivered by Glasgow Life, the charity which leads culture, events and active living in Glasgow, and is the largest of its kind in Scotland.
Festivalgoers also sampled food from around the world and tried their hand at a mix of sports including archery, tennis, pickleball, kabaddi and volleyball.
During the event, Kelvingrove Bandstand held panel discussions and workshops, with topics covering health and wellbeing through the arts, music and memory, and South Asian artists in experimental practices.
The bandstand also staged a collaboration with Glasgow Life Museums’ Intercultural Youth Group to support the Scottish-Asian Creative Artists’ Network’s aim to raise and discuss key issues within and for South Asian communities through the Mela.
Mela brings music, dance and arts to Kelvingrove Park
Crowds lapped up the musical and artistic entertainment
Thousands of people enjoyed the 2025 Glasgow Mela
Children and adults made the most of the chance to try their hand at archery
Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life and Convenor for Culture, Sport and International Relations for Glasgow City Council, said: “Seeing thousands of people pack out Kelvingrove Park for the Glasgow Mela is always a sight to behold. The 2025 Mela proved why Glasgow is known the world over as a diverse, multicultural city full of artistic talent. The Mela is a firm favourite in Glasgow’s cultural events calendar and provides fantastic free performances and a fun day out for everyone.
“This year was particularly special as the spirit of Glasgow 850 was woven into the programme. Throughout the year we are seeing our established city events and festivals really embracing what this special year means to them and using the themes of the year and storytelling to excite, educate and entertain their audiences.”
The Mela means ‘gathering’ in Sanskrit and is a South Asian celebration of Glasgow’s diverse communities which aims to promote local artists and their rich cultural heritage.
Glasgow’s first Mela was held in 1990, when the city was named European City of Culture. The city’s Mela was initially an indoor celebration at the then newly opened Tramway and has since become a massive outdoor event which draws in tens of thousands of visitors and hundreds of artists and performers from around the world.
The Glasgow Mela was one of seven successful Creative Scotland Multi-Year Funding 2025-28 applications made by Glasgow Life.
Creative Scotland confirmed on 30 January 2025 it has awarded the Mela £50,000 for 2025-26. In total, the event will benefit from £169,100 of Creative Scotland funding over the next three years.