The city centre venues will host York’s Health and Arts Mela May 11, 2025. The free family event aims for healthcare awareness.
York held its first Mela in 2023, with over 3,000 people attending. Shamim Eimaan is the Mela’s producer, and she said they are happy to host it again.
Mela means “gathering” in Hindi. These festivals started in South India, and now, many UK cities have them. Securing funding made York’s Mela possible, and it will be bigger than last year.
The festival is free and family-friendly. Museum Gardens will host it, and the fun extends to Exhibition Square. “Ancient Giants” is a key attraction at the event.
Inspirate created these two 10-foot puppets. They will perform in York for the first time, where the performance shows a battle of gods fighting demons from South Asian tales. It combines puppetry, dance, and martial arts.
Shamim saw the puppets at Warrington Mela. She thinks they will be fantastic in York, and she might parade them through York’s streets. They would then arrive at Museum Gardens.
The Mela focuses on healthcare, arts, and wellbeing. It aims to raise awareness of York’s services. NHS and arts representatives will offer advice and will be on hand at the event.
Shamim said there are many barriers to care. The Mela hopes to break them down by creating a fun, safe space to share. Twenty-six stalls are expected there, and they will offer a wide range of food.
Shamim wants people to share food and fun. It will have Indian and Arabic food, and Millers Fish and Chips will be there too. She loves seeing different cultures come together.
Shamim’s family was exiled from Uganda when Idi Amin forced them out as a child. Many Asian families were affected, and York has diverse ethnic communities, she noted.
Many communities stayed quiet, she said, but the Mela lets them shine. York is a beautiful city with many cultures that are unseen, and this gives them a chance to share.