WARRINGTON Mela returns to the town this weekend.

The festival, organised by Warrington Ethnic Communities Association, will take place on Palmyra Square between 11am and 5pm on Sunday.

There will be singers, dancers and a kids zone, as well as food and clothes stalls. Entry is free.

Cllr Mo Hussain said: “It is a fantastic feeling to be able to organise this amazing event again after a two-year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The last Mela was held in 2019 when we saw more than 2,000 people attend the event. We are hoping to see a bigger turnout this year.

“People attending this year’s Mela can expect to see Chinese lion dancers, as well as a fantastic line-up of Bollywood singers, Polish krakowiak , bhangra dancers, South Indian drummers, magic henna tattooing, a colourful parade and, of course, the spicy aroma of world food prepared on site for everyone to sample, as well as so much more.

“Also, many different local and regional service providers, including the police and fire service, will be holding information stalls.”

Cllr Hussain says that it is ‘really pleasing’ to see the event being supported by so many, including Warrington Borough Council, the community initiative fund, Cheshire’s police and crime commissioner and Warrington Bid.

He added: “When this event started nine years ago as a small community event, we did not anticipate for it to grow so big and it is now attracting people and stall holders both locally and nationally.”