More than 30,000 people lined the street around Brick Lane for this year’s Boishakhi Mela at the weekend.
Traditional Bangladeshi acts took to one of the stages in Bethnal Green park while local and international artists showcased their acts on a second stage aimed at younger audiences.
In Brick Lane restaurants set up stalls for visitors to sample currys while watching the Mela’s Grand procession which saw sculptures, dancers and entertainers parade through Banglatown.
For the first time the celebrations also included a Bangladeshi trade fair.
A police spokesman said 44 special constables had volunteered to help ordinary officers patrol the area. He said: “The event largely went off peacefully. There were around 10 arrests, mostly for public order offences, which is a small number for such a larger event.”
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