The London Mela festival was set up in 2003 by a group of friends led by Ajay Chabra (Nutkhut) with the aim to produce an event that reflected the Asian culture of London.

Continental Drifts has been involved ever since the festival’s inception, as part our Global Local project funded by Arts Council England, and we are still programming at London Mela to this day. Our mission has been to source outstanding Asian acts that represent an alternative to the more traditional Bhangra scene. We have programmed acts in collaboration with Radio One, Bobby Friction and Nihal, BBC Asian Network and Sunrise Radio . The event has grown from two to ten stages, with more than 80,000 people attending, and is the largest of its kind in Europe.