The fifth annual Boishakhi Mela was held at GWR Park in Swindon on Sunday 28 June 2026, Swindon24 reported that evening. Hundreds of people attended the event, organised by Bangladesh Association Swindon.
What is the Boishakhi Mela?
It marks Pohela Boishakh, the Bengali New Year, which falls in mid-April. The Swindon organisers hold their outdoor celebration in late June, when the weather is warmer.
What happened on the day?
- Live music and cultural displays
- Demonstrations of kabaddi, the national sport of Bangladesh
- Children's entertainment
- Traditional food, with the biryanis, samosas and pani puri praised by visitors, and sweets provided by Ambala
Many families came in saris and Bengali dress. Visitors came from Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani and other communities, and one person at the event said people had travelled from Birmingham and London.
Organiser Amirul Haque Bablu said: "We get together as a community every year." Community advocate Repi Begum said of the event: "It breaks down those barriers." Swindon borough councillor Abdul Amin was also there.
A growing event
The report said attendance has risen every year and the mela is now an established date in Swindon's calendar. Organisers hope to draw in more people from communities across the town as it grows. No date for the next mela was given.
Source: Swindon24.
More from Swindo: GWR Park.