Cork's First-Ever Mela Festival Draws Massive Crowds to Fitzgerald Park
Fitzgerald Park was transformed into a vibrant celebration of global culture on Sunday as the inaugural Cork Mela Festival attracted huge crowds for an afternoon of music, dance, food, fashion, wellbeing, and art from around the world.
The first-ever Cork Mela Festival brought together representatives from 20 nations alongside local community groups on Sunday 3 May 2026, filling Fitzgerald Park with colour, sound, and flavour in what organisers described as an unforgettable day of global cultural experiences.
The festival was organised by ArtsEkta and supported by Rethink Ireland and Cork City Council, with 96FM as media partner. The Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Fergal Dennehy, was among those who attended to mark the occasion alongside Nisha Tandon, Founder and CEO of ArtsEkta.
Councillor Dennehy said:
"It gave me immense pleasure to welcome the inaugural Cork Mela to our city today. This wonderful festival celebrates the cultural diversity that makes Cork such a vibrant and welcoming place to live, work and visit. The Cork Mela is a powerful reminder of the richness we gain when we embrace the traditions, talents and stories of communities from around the world. Congratulations to ArtsEkta and all the Cork groups which took part as the Mela experiences and performances were amazing, celebrating the spirit of unity and connection that defies [sic] our city."
Performances on the World and Folk Stages featured an impressive lineup including the Ukrainian Community Choir, Voices of Young People Intercultural Choir, Mark Outsider and Kestine, Kabin Crew, AMDIE Mexican Dance, South Asian Dance Academy, Citadel, MTU Samba, Marathi Mandai, Cork Capoeira, Aatma Dance, Mexicans in Cork, Bangladeshi Association Cork, Lithuanian House Cork, and Trio Terra Nova. The stages were hosted by 96FM's Ken Perrott and Mia Poland.
The festival also featured a World of Wellness area with the Alchemy School of Yoga, SkySound Mindful Way Academy, and Karen Olivia Astrology, alongside Culture Land and Workshop sessions from the Cork Puppetry Company, Dohman Green Society, Cork Circus Factory, Saoirse Ethnic Hands on Deck, Flying Lion, and the Nepalese, Bolivian, and Ukrainian communities in Cork. A Mela Food Village brought cuisines from around the world together in the heart of the park.
Nisha Tandon said:
"We are absolutely delighted with the amazing turnout for our first ever Cork Mela Festival. It was wonderful to see so many people discover the magic of Mela, experiencing the sounds, tastes and stories of cultures from around the world. I would especially like to thank the 20 plus local groups representing so many different nations for making today such a success by showcasing their incredible creativity and rich culture with us."
Videos and photos from Cork Mela 2026 are available on ArtsEkta's social channels on Facebook at @artsekta1 and on Instagram at @corkmela, and will shortly be available on the ArtsEkta website at artsekta.org.uk.