Community features

Hanley Park in Stoke-on-Trent came alive with the colours, sounds and smells of different cultures as the first ever Samba Mela (which is the word for Asian cultural fair) took place.

Star names from the Asian music scene took to the same stage as Brazilian Samba bands, Bollywood and Bhangra groups, as well as top West African artists and Hip-hop DJs.

They included singer Gubi Sandu, who showed why he's won many UK Asian music awards, and Banghra artist H-Dhami, who's magnetic stage presence got the girls screaming and the crowd dancing.

Co-organiser Atiqur Rahman told BBC Radio Stoke, says it's a vital event for the local community.

"This is what it should be about. Everybody getting together and enjoying themselves, having a good time, and celebrating each other's diversity and cultures"

Festival parade

The festival kicked off with a parade through the City's streets at lunchtime finishing up at the main stage, where acts performed until well into the night.

Stoke on Trent's own Planet Sound held free open workshops in West African Drumming and Singing, and Samba Dance. The music tents were also bouncing to the bass-heavy sounds of  DJ workshops and hip-hop dance sessions!

If you worked up a hunger with all that dancing, there was plenty to choose from including traditional Indian and Asian cooking, and a particularly tasty Caribbean chicken dish on the barbeque!

Annual event

Although this was the first ever Samba Mela in Stoke-on-Trent, there was previously a mini-Mela in Cobridge in 2008. It proved very popular and encouraged organisers to stage larger events, like this one at Hanley Park.

Atiqur Rahman says they're already in talks about making it an annual event. "It's been trial and error. We thought let's try something, and see what happens, and it's been really good."

"The Samba Mela has become a brand now, and we want this to happen every year."