The weather might not have been tropical, but Ipswich’s Indian Mela still managed to attract thousands of visitors to Christchurch Park. The event has become a major part of the IP-Art festival in the town, and once again it provided a heady mix of sights, sounds, and smells of the Sub-Continent in the heart of Ipswich.
The music and dancing shared the stage with other demonstrations of life in south Asia, including for the first time Laughter Yoga.
Stalls selling curries and other south Asian food were doing a roaring trade as people from all communities in the area made their way to the park.
The heat of Saturday gave way to cooler weather, making the day much more comfortable to visitors.
The first Ipswich area Mela was held at Kesgrave in 2002 – but the following year it moved to Christchurch Park and now it has become a major event in the IP-Art calendar.
It rounds off the festival which has seen open-air cinema at Portman Road, outdoor and indoor music and drama performances and, of course, Ipswich Music Day last weekend.
With the end of this year’s three-week festival, planning for IP-Art 2016 now gets under way in earnest.
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