Bollywood glamour met musical influences from around the world at Croydon's summer festival.
The two-day festival World Party and Mela is one of the highlights in the social calendar, attracting top-class entertainers and thousands of visitors to Lloyd Park in Coombe Road.
Jazz pioneer Roy Ayres topped the bill on the main stage at Saturday's World Party, which also featured acts including ska and reggae band The Beat, fresh from their comeback gig at London's Festival Hall, and Croydon's Claire Toomey who performed on the acoustic stage, a warm-up for her appearance at Guilfest this weekend.
On Sunday, Croydon's Mela celebrated its 10th anniversary. Four stages of live music, dance and community events fused the rich traditions of Asian culture with contemporary western life. Performers included Taala a percussion-based outfit formed from the orchestra of the West End show Bombay Dreams.
And no visit to Mela would be complete without a visit to the community stage where more than 200 people showcased their talents including dance performances by local groups and a fashion show.
The Asian Resource Centre of Croydon organised by and sponsored the stage, featuring traditional and modern Asian fashion. Costumes were modelled by people of all ages who spent hours rehearsing for the event.
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