30,000 at Mela’s magic weekend
Reporter: Marina Berry
Date published: 11 July 2011
Photo: Pictures: Chris Sunderland
ON STAGE... hip-hop artists YS and C4 in full flow
Food and music proves a hit with crowds
THIRTY thousand revellers flocked into Alexandra Park over the weekend for a star-studded event which is rapidly becoming one of the highlights of the North-West festival calendar.
Frequent showers failed to put a dampener on Oldham Mela, as the atmosphere built steadily in anticipation of a show from one of the country’s most respected folk singers, Attaullah Khan, who took the stage yesterday.
The star has released more than 400 albums and his appearance was the culmination of a day which provided a stage for UK Asian superstars Navin Kundra and Bonafide, and a host of local acts.
The park was packed with people enjoying singing and dancing acts, taking a ride on the fairground, sorting through stalls of colourful costumes, and making their way down the main aisle which was steeped in delicious aromas wafting from specialist food stalls manned by chefs cooking on site.
The free event opened at noon on both days, and festival chairman Shaehzad Chaudhry, was celebrating an event which brought thousands of people together.
He said: “It was a good family atmosphere and appealed to young and old and brought people into Oldham from across the North-West.
“I am 100 per cent happy with how the festival went, and it was good to see people from the non-Asian community there as well.
“To see everyone mingling was great.”
Asima Ahmad, from Lees, was soaking up the atmosphere with her 11-month old son, Zak Awan.
She said: “I can’t believe it has brought so many people in, I think there are more here than there were last year.”
She said she was there for the entertainment and was looking forward to looking through the wares on offer.
“I don’t know anywhere you can go to see so much, I’ll be looking for a few bargains,” she laughed.
“It’s all about getting people together, and it gives traders a chance to market themselves.”
Coppice mum Parveen Akhtar was there with her three children, Tosique (13), Qasim (11) and Yousaf Khalique (3), who were having a whale of a time.
The older children enjoyed a fairground car ride and young Yousaf a go on the bouncy castle, and all three tucked into ice creams.
Qasim said: “It’s better than last year. There is more stuff here.”
Saba Ahmed (26) was there with her mother, Nazreen, who was anxious to test the cuisine.
Saba is a pharmacist and said she was so impressed with the healthcare messages being given out at the festival she was looking forward to taking up an offer to get involved next year.
She said: “It’s the first time I have been to Oldham Mela, it’s quite an experience, and quite honestly I’m surprised how good it is and I will definitely be recommending it to all my friends.
“There is a lot of entertainment, and it is a way of opening up communication between different cultures.
“I am aware there is a lot of ignorance in Asian communities about medication and I’m impressed with the healthcare information being given out.
“There is a lot of scope and potential and opportunity here not only for health but for education and business and for attracting people into Oldham.”
The Mela was sponsored by Lebara Mobile Communications.
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