Bursting with colour, music and wonder, the procession announces the start of the Baishakhi Mela as it zigzags through the streets of Banglatown before arriving in Weavers Fields.

Musicians, dancers and local people will be accompanied by a menagerie of fantastical kinetic creatures created by Emergency Exit Arts (EEA). Jaw dropping works of wonder include a giant turtle with a DJ, owls, magpies and a colourful mechanical elephant with a live singer.

Through dance, song, music and masks the parade shows a Bengali village at harvest time, complete with a wedding celebration and the sewing of the Nakshi Kantha story quilt. A Bengali children’s story about the elemental creatures of the air, earth, rivers and oceans also threads through the procession, encouraging everyone
to take care of our environment.

The procession has been created by EEA associate artists Jennifer Lewis and Emma Garofalo in collaboration with local artists Khadija Rhaman (Bisho Shahito Kendro), China Chowdhury (Taal Torongo), Cid Shaha (River Cultures), Marzia Lizu, Ariful Hasan and Nazim Uddin.

This year there are more schools and groups taking part then ever before thanks to an extended participation programme sponsored by Spitalfields Estate and The Ballymore Group.

Timings: Entertainment from 10.30am in Bishops Square, Spitalfields, with the procession leaving at 11am.

Route: Bishops Square the procession will cross Commercial Street into Hanbury Street where it will then turn right onto Brick Lane, left into Old Montague Street, then onto Vallance Road and into Weavers Fields for 12 noon.


Emergency Exit Arts will be holding FREE arts workshops at Bishops Square on Sunday 16th May between 12 noon and 4pm.
Make sure you join the team to make a banner or flag so that you too can take part in the procession on the 23rd May!!

The Procession Line Up
The Birds of Bangladesh
Drummers (Raihan Azad Choudhury London Symphony Studios)
Osmani Primary School
Bangladeshi Udichi Shilpi Gosthi, UK Branch
and Soytten Sen School of Performing Arts
Owl with students from Bethnal Green Technology College
Energize 4 Girls
Art Asia Bangla Music Group (supported by Find Your Talent)
Udichi Shilpi Gosthi

The Fields and Forests
Cid Shaha with the Bollywood Performance Group from Tower Hamlets Lifelong Learning programme
Large Mechanical Elephant featuring Salam Ranar
Manorfield Primary School
St Paul’s Church of England School
Nakshi Kantha Wedding Arch
Bishwo Shahitto Kendro
Harvest Dancers by Taal Torongo Dance Group

Rivers and Sea
Giant Turtle with DJs and Music from "The Nasha Experience"
Bangabandhu Primary School
River Cultures
Tower Hamlets Lifelong Learning group
Showmi Das and Team
Bongobir Osmany Trust with the
Stifford Centre Study Support and Girls project
Jasas UK