SPONSORS are being sought for a cultural festival celebrating the diversity of Maidstone and the surrounding area.

Proposals for "Maidstone Mela" were unveiled at a launch event on Monday night by Maidstone Borough Council deputy mayor Cllr Morel D'Souza.

He said: "It is a celebration of cultural activities within the borough and the surrounding area.

"Because we do not have an ethnic population large enough to sustain an event it will be open to all communities - be they Bengali, Spanish or Welsh.

"With all these goings on in Iraq it will be quite timely to bring communities together to see how each other lives, albeit in a short space of time."

Cllr D'Souza said initial proposals were for dozens of stalls offering an array of food, fashion and crafts from across the world.

The stall would form a circle around a raised stage area where dancing, drama, music and other cultural acts would be performed.

A council steering group has been set up to get the event off the ground due to take place in Mote Park on Sunday, September 14 and to seek out potential sponsors.

Similar events in London and Edinburgh have attracted up to 90,000 people.

But Maidstone doesn't expect its festival to attract more than 3,500 visitors : at least in the first year.

The council are hoping to avoid picking up the estimated £10,000 bill by seeking financial support from the business community and elsewhere.

Informal funding bids have already been made to Kent Police, Kent Fire Brigade as well as Kent County Council and the British Council.

Cllr D'Souza added: "Maidstone Council will provide a budget to underwrite any losses.

"It is not a fundraising event but a means of promoting the town and we are hoping for the maximum support from the community.