Enjoy a fun-filled day for the whole family at the Family Day in Albert Park, on Sunday 8th August from 11am to 6pm. Find out more information about each of the activities below and start planning your day. Where will you go first…?

Workshop area 1: Dohl Drumming and Bhangra Performance and Workshop

Join our Bhangra dancers and Dhol drummers for a performance guaranteeing high energy and smiles. It will be almost impossible to resist getting up to dance with them.

Dohl Drummers

11.00-11.30am: Dohl Drumming workshop

12.00-12.30pm: Dohl Drumming workshop

1.00-1.30pm: Dohl Drumming workshop

2.00-2.30pm: Dohl Drumming workshop

3.30-4.00pm: Dohl Drumming workshop

Bhangra Workshops

11.30am-12pm: Bhangra Performance and Workshop

4.00-4.30pm: Bhangra Performance and Workshop

Workshop area 2: Folk Remix Ceilidh

Get up and DANCE again! Join Folk Dance Remixed for a joyful, stomping big sound to get you on your feet for a funked up, unique, folky, social dance – a fabulous chance for all to dance. This is the coolest thing you will do all summer – we promise you!

Suitable for all age groups and family audiences.

12.00-12.40pm: Folk Remix Ceilidh

1.30-2.10pm: Folk Remix Ceilidh

3.00-3.40pm: Folk Remix Ceilidh

Performance area 1 (near the bandstand)

A variety of artists and performances available to enjoy throughout the day.

12.45pm: Muir Irish Dancing

1.05-1.30pm: Bhangra Performance and Workshop

2.15pm: Paige and Ashleigh

2.35pm: Hula Hoop demo

2.45pm & 3.45pm: Los Capitanes

Workshop area 3

11.30am-12.00pm: Dance your Socks Off (game)

12.00-12.30pm: Capoeira Workshop

12.30-1.00pm: Dance your Socks Off (game)

1.00-1.30pm: Capoeira Workshop

2.00-2.30pm: Dance your Socks Off (game)

2.30-3.00pm: Capoeira Workshop

3.00-3.30pm: Dance your Socks Off (game)

3.30-4.00pm: Capoeira Workshop

The Capoeira Workshop is suitable for all ages and family audiences.

Workshop area 4 

Yoga Workshop

Come and join us for a calming yoga movement experience for young families that will take you on a magical journey through the beautiful story of ‘Sara’. The simple movements and stretches are based on the elements and animals that are featured in the book.

Yoga Workshops are suitable for all age groups and family audiences.

11.00-11.30am: Yoga Workshop

12.00-12.30pm: Yoga Workshop

1.00-1.30pm: Yoga Workshop

2.30-3.00pm: Yoga Workshop

3.30-4.00pm: Yoga Workshop

Hula Hoop Workshop

Learn How to hula hoop with Marawa’s Majorettes!! A fun activity for all the family to have a go!! Learn some really cool tips and tricks that are sure to impress your friends.

Suitable for all age groups and family audiences.

11.30am-12.00pm: Hula Hoop Workshop

12.30-1.00pm: Hula Hoop Workshop

2.00-2.30pm: Hula Hoop Workshop

3.00-3.30pm: Hula Hoop Workshop

Performance area 2 

Spend a relaxing afternoon with Manasamitra, listening to songs inspired by the lullabies Indian women sing to their babies. Relax, snooze and forget your troubles – perfect for your mini humans.

Suitable for all age groups and family audiences.

12.30-1.00pm: Lullaby

2.00-2.30pm: Lullaby

3.30-4.00pm: Lullaby

Performance area 3 

Dino Dig

11.00-11.30am: Dino Dig Activity

12.00-1.30pm: Dino Dig Activity

2.00-3.00pm: Dino Dig Activity

3.30-5.00pm: Dino Dig Activity

Rock Showman Show

Head over to the Rock Showman’s epic circus tent of wonders for a truly raw-some time! Get your hands dirty to discover and identify fossils including real life dinosaur bones. Families can learn how to find fossils on local beaches and understand the stories that are told by local rocks. The story of life on our planet and every person takes home their own genuine fossil.

Suitable for all age groups and family audiences.

11.30am-12.00pm: Rock Showman Show

1.30-2.00pm: Rock Showman Show

3.00-3.30pm: Rock Showman Show

Performance area 3

11.00am-11.30am: Storytelling

11.30am-12.00pm: Wishing Tree

12.30-1.00pm: Storytelling

1.00-1.30pm: Wishing Tree

2.00-2.30pm: Storytelling

2.30-3.00pm: Wishing Tree

3.30-4.00pm: Storytelling

4.00-4.30pm: Wishing Tree

Please note that all storytelling sessions will include a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter.

Workshop area 4 (available 11am to 6pm)

Drop in crafts – windsocks and puppets

We love a wind sock here at Mela and what better way to brighten up your garden with a Sara inspired creation!

Join us to make your very own Sara ready for story time. You will adopt a wooden tortoise and decorate it however you like, using a wide range of exciting materials. Remember there is no such thing as too much glitter!

Suitable for age 3+ and all family audiences.

BloomInArt – TOW

Calling all comic book fans, we have something perfect for you at our Family Day. Join our epic comic book artist, Keith Robinson, from the Beano and Dandy as you create your own comic book creation with TOW!

Girmit

Girmit is evocative storytelling at its best. It blends different digital art forms to immerse viewers in the important historical and cultural story of Fijan indentured labour. Nutkhut and PlayLa.bZ immerse us within this important history. Don’t miss it!

Two Tin Cans

Make art in a phone-box with Two Tin Cans. The world’s smallest printmaking studio (probably!) – step inside to make a linocut, inspired by Sara adventures to take home and keep.

Suitable for all ages groups and family audiences.

Around the Park (available 11am to 6pm)

Seeds of Hope photography exhibition

Graffiti demonstration (suitable for all ages and family audiences)

Face painting

Henna

Fun Fair and Inflatables

Food and drink

Look out for…

The Undiscovered Creature

What’s this? Why’s that? Who are you? Just like you, The Undiscovered Creature is a little bit of everything. They are on a mission to find out what makes stuff so good at being itself. See The Creature and their trusty tool belt out in the wild, chatting to a rose bush or drawing a sensitive portrait of a stone.

Suitable for children age 5-11 and all family audiences.

Chalk Drawing

Chalk drawing along the avenue of trees, come and have a go at creating some Mela inspired designs.

Puppets

Named after the famous movie stars, Padmini and Sivaji venture out as a duo, decked out in their finery.

Our Indian movie star royalty are built to dance – and you will be joining them once you see these jaw dropping puppets!

Suitable for all age groups and family audiences.

String and Strong

String and Strong love games, but they’ve completely forgotten how to play, thank goodness you’re here!

Join String and Strong for anarchic fun and Old Skool games all day long with a little help from parents and children alike.

Suitable for all groups and family audiences.

 “Energy- packed performance that entertained our family, from a 3 year old to a 28 year’s old. Loads of chances for the kids to participate…the highlight of the festival for us!”

Melephant and Disco Peacock

Spot your favourite Mela characters as they go walkabout around the park.