More than 130,000 people descended on Bradford for this year's mela to participate in dozens of free shows and sample food ranging from pakoras and chana to chocolate crepes and candyfloss.

Artists who performed at the event included Apache Indian, Fame Academy's Lemar and comedian Jeff Mirza.

Bradford International Festival Company was criticised last year for failing to include enough community groups or attract large crowds to the arts festival. This year, director Neil Butler said, attendance was higher.

"We are absolutely delighted with the way it's gone and the police are very pleased too. There's a great level of participation from different communities, which was one of our ambitions," he said and added "we have had people coming from all over the UK in coachloads. It's very important economically because it's bringing money into the city."

Bradford-born artist Indy Sagu said he was thrilled to be performing in his home town for the first time after years touring abroad with bhangra and hip-hop fusion band RDB. The band has had eight number one albums in the bhangra charts, but has never played at the Bradford Mela before.

"We usually play in clubs so it's nice to play for a more family oriented crowd, it's a refreshing change," said Sagu.  "There was a time when the mela was getting a bit rough and the older generation and families were avoiding it, but it's a good turnout today," he added.

"We have played at the Bradford Mela two or three times before and it just gets better," said Happy Singh, of the Birmingham-based band the Safri Boyz. "It's more multi-cultural than a lot of melas, there's a bigger variety of  music, not just Asian music but different kinds of music and I think that's good."

Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Allan Irving Hillary agreed. "There's a really good mix of cultures and ages here, right up to people in their 60s and 70s.  It's something we want to celebrate. Anything that can boost awareness of other people's cultures has to be an advantage, " he said.

The 2003 mela season with its distinct aroma of samosas, kababs and the buzz of a carnival parade was actually launched last month in London's Brick Lane with the Baisakhi Mela, billed as the most prestigious Bengali festival outside of Bangladesh and a key event for the UK's 550,000 Bengalis.

"The Baisakhi Mela has grown from a small local celebration to one of a national significance in just five years. This is a key event for the Bangladeshi community both as a point to celebrate their cultural roots and as an opportunity to directly contribute to the regeneration of the Brick Lane area," said Baishaki Mela Steering Group chairman Ataur Rahman.

More melas are scheduled for later this year in Birmingham, Leicester, Croydon, Manchester, Middlesborough, Leeds, Southall, Edinburgh and Wembley.

Supporters of the eighth Leeds Mela in the north of England, scheduled for the first week of August, have promised an extravaganza that will include music acts, a fashion stage, bazars and a children's kingdom. Organiser Bobby Sagoo said the event would bring together all sections of the South Asian community.

"Seventy per cent of the people who attend are from the Asian subcontinent and the balance is made up from the many diverse ethnic groups living in Leeds, including white residents," he said.

"The event is essentially a family occasion, ages range from across all generations with a substantial number of young people attending. The spirit of the event is about the celebration of the rich Asian culture and traditions."