Thousands enjoy free music and arts at 2026 Glasgow Mela
Thousands filled Kelvingrove Park as the 2026 Glasgow Mela brought a day of free international music and arts to the city’s west end.
Despite the damp weather, spirits remained high as 21,000 people turned out to enjoy performances spanning everything from traditional beats to modern sounds.
As a key event of the Glasgow 2026 Festival (23 May-9 August), which is transforming the city into a summer-long cultural showcase before, during and after the Commonwealth Games, the Mela was packed full of standout performances and special commissions by artists from around the Commonwealth.
Glasgow Life, the charity which delivers culture, events and active living in Glasgow, held the Mela as part of its 2026 Summer of Events programme, which also includes the Merchant City Festival (24 July-2 August) and World Pipe Band Championships at Glasgow Green (14 and 15 August).
Throughout the day, festivalgoers were treated to Bhangra, Bharatanatyam, hip-hop, alt-rock, qawwali, folk, jazz, soul, Indian classical and electronic crossover music.
The crowds at the Glasgow Mela, Scotland’s largest South Asian festival, soaked up headline performances from Glasgow-based Bhangra, hip-hop and electronic music DJ Gtown Desi, modern Punjabi folk band Apna Sangeet, and Punjabi musician and vocalist Nachhatar Gill.
This year’s event saw 145 artists entertain festivalgoers, both on-stage and in workshop and writer in residence tents. Of the artists who took part, 115 were based in Scotland and around 60% performed at the Glasgow Mela for the first time.
With Glasgow getting ready to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games (23 July-2 August), the King’s Baton Relay visited this year’s Mela to celebrate Team Scotland, Scottish sport, the Commonwealth, Scottish culture and the Games itself. Glasgow 2026 mascot Finnie also appeared as the baton made its way round Kelvingrove Park.
The Mela’s creative workshops and interactive events attracted a lot of attention. Among the activities on offer were a Commonwealth Games-related craft session and an In Conversation: Our Shared Cultural Heritage and Glasgow Museums Intercultural Youth Group discussion led by young South Asians covering heritage, museums and colonialism and its legacies.
There was also a music, memory and movement-focused event held by 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 organisation that supports diverse communities through dance and wellbeing activities.
The Mela food and market stalls proved popular throughout the event, while festivalgoers also made the most of the chance to play a range of sports, including archery, cricket, hockey and tennis.
The Mela has become an eagerly anticipated date in Glasgow’s cultural calendar. Glasgow’s first Mela was held in 1990, when the city was named European City of Culture. Initially an indoor celebration at the then newly opened Tramway, it has since become a massive outdoor event, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and hundreds of artists and performers from around the world.
Julie Pearson, Head of Events at Glasgow Life, said: “The Glasgow Mela kicked off a thrilling summer of culture and sport in Glasgow with a day of music, dance and arts to remember. Glasgow is a culturally diverse, creative and welcoming city, and this year’s Mela was a shining example of Glasgow’s cultural sector at its best. The fantastic scenes and breathtaking performances are set to continue as part of our Summer of Events, with the Merchant City Festival and World Pipe Band Championships just around the corner.”
Hardeep Singh, Co-Producer of the Glasgow Mela and Co-Founder of the Scottish-Asian Creative Artists Network, said: “Every year, the Glasgow Mela reminds me why this festival is so important. It's one of the few days where people from every community come together to celebrate each other's cultures through music, dance, food and conversation. It's been amazing to see so many artists sharing the stage this year, especially those performing at the Mela for the very first time alongside internationally recognised acts. I'd like to say a huge thank you to every artist, volunteer, partner, sponsor and member of the production team who has helped make this year's festival possible. Most of all, thank you to everyone who comes along and makes the Mela what it is. I hope people leave feeling inspired, having discovered something new and with an even greater appreciation of the diversity and creativity that make Glasgow such a special city.”