By Leah Conway –
Sangam Festival: A Celebration of South Asian Heritage, is a local festival that offers an exciting range of events and projects to the community and is set to return for its second year this summer.
After past success, the Sangam Festival is returning this Summer with special community events and a diverse program of events.
Communities Together is a Huddersfield-based social enterprise that runs the festival. This year the festival will run from 18 July to 17 August 2022, which links in with the South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM).
Festival events include venue-based, outdoor and digital activities. The expanse of activities explores and celebrates South Asian heritage, arts and culture linking in with film, music, and dance through themed walks, family events, talks, workshops and oral history projects.
Read more: Celebrate ‘People Places and Culture’ with the University of Huddersfield this June
The festival will have its official opening at the Piazza in Huddersfield on 16 July. Elmer, the iconic children’s book character will also make an appearance. On Sunday 17 July, the Sangam Mela – previously known as the Kirklees Mela – will return to Greenhead Park, which will include rides, stalls food and music for all to enjoy.
Sangam Festival works in partnership with other community organisations. A special project resulting from these partnerships includes a documentary film entitled A Quest for Roti.
The documentary commemorates the 75th anniversary of Partition. The film explores the journeys made by families of South Asian heritage and includes a local perspective by focusing on families who came to live in Kirklees from the 1960s onwards.
“Delighted”
Qaisar Mahmood, CEO of Communities Together and Radio Sangam, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing Sangam Festival back to Kirklees for the second year and look forward to seeing lots of people getting involved with the many exciting events and special projects we have planned.
“A huge thank you to all our cultural partners who have worked with us to develop such a varied programme of events for all to enjoy, and of course our funders – Arts Council England and Heritage Lottery Fund for their financial support. We look forward to seeing you all in the summer.”