Record numbers of people turned out for an afternoon of diverse arts in the park.

The twelfth Maidstone Mela attracted more than 12,000 people on Sunday to Mote Park for a feast of music, dance and food from around the world.

It had kicked off with a carnival parade involving of 350 pupils from seven local schools alongside samba groups and drummers through the town centre on Friday.

Organised by Maidstone council with Cohesion Plus and the Kent Equality Cohesion Council, the main event included a series of acts including Phase 5 Steel Band, Kerala Cultural Association, Reel Eire Dance, Bollywood Blast and the Maidstone Nepalese Community Group.

Comedy duo Danny and Dan provided some laughs while Cohesion Plus produced “Afro-Bhangra” Fusion with Four by Four Bhangra and Uzambezi Arts, with headline act Ruby Turner wowing the crowds into the evening.

There were also more than 25 food stalls, interactive arts workshops and information stands.
Gurvinder Sandher, the chief executive of Kent Equality Cohesion Council and Mela artistic director, said: “I am really proud of what we have been able to achieve and the Mela underlines how the arts can be used to bring the diverse communities of the borough together. I would like to pay tribute to our partners Maidstone council and the Mela Advisory Group who have continued to support the Mela."

See this Friday's KM for more pictures.