A KALEIDOSCOPE of different cultures will come together in Maidstone on Sunday for the town's first ethnic festival.

The Maidstone Mela, at Mote Park, will feature an arena with traditional dance and music from across the world between 1pm and 6pm.

There will also be a vast range of stalls with food, drink and craft from countries including Bangladesh, the Congo, Israel, Turkey, China and Gambia.

It has been organised by Maidstone Borough Council and is the brainchild of the Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Morel D'Souza, who is from Goa, India.

He said: "I intended this to celebrate the multi-cultural diversity that exists in and around Maidstone.

"I believe this is the first event of its kind on this scale in Maidstone and I am hoping it will become part of the town's annual calendar."

Cllr D'Souza will be involved with a stall of Goan treats, while his wife Karin will have some surprises from her native Finland.

He said: "Goa is in India but it belonged to the Portuguese for 600 years so it is a mixture of east and west. We still have rice and curries but the preparation of the food is completely different.

"My wife will be on the Finnish stall, which will be selling traditional foods like sausages. There will be a few surprises too. Father Christmas is going to pay an early visit so he can take children's letters back to Lapland."

Cllr D'Souza hopes visitors will turn up in their traditional national dress to make the event even more colourful. The festival starts at noon.

Here is a full list of events:

1pm: Dhol drummers and introduction

1.10pm: The Mela is officially opened by the Mayor

1.30pm: Greek and Cypriot dance

1.50pm: Indian dance

2.05pm: Bangla

2.30pm: Belly dancers

2.50pm: Greek music

3.10pm: Congolese dance

3.30pm: Indian DJ

3.50pm: Harmony Variety Group

4.10pm: Indian music

4.30pm: Dhol and Bhangra drumming

5pm: Steel band

5.30pm: African drummers