The showpiece event of Bradford Festival is settling into its temporary new home for the weekend.

The Bradford Mela - the world famous multi-cultural event - has moved to Peel Park because of major renovation work being carried out at its regular venue in Lister Park.

And festival organisers are keen to ensure that Mela-goers are aware of the change of location.

The two-day event, which is a colourful combination of music, performance and dance mixed with fair and bazaar, kicks off tomorrow. Admission to the Mela, which runs from 1pm to 9pm tomorrow and Sunday, is free.

Paul Cowell, who, as production co-ordinator for the Mela, is responsible for the logistics of the weekend, said: "We want to spread the word that Peel Park is the place to be. We know everyone is used to going to Lister Park and it's important that the message about Peel Park gets through."

Festival spokesman Rob Walsh added: "Last year in Lister Park we had a record number of visitors. Peel Park is bigger so there's even more room in 1998. The Mela is well-established as the best free family day out in Yorkshire so this year we need to tell as many people as possible of the new location."

The three performance stages will feature acts including singer Najma Akhtar, bhangra heroes Alaap, English folk roots performer Eliza Carthy, Live and Kicking regulars Ruth, didgeridoo dance from Dr Didg and Riswan Qawwali, a new group in the spirit of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Among the other attractions at the Mela, which attracted 170,000 visitors last year, are IOU Theatre's new outdoor show Leech; the Channi-Upuli Dance Ensemble from Sri Lanka, with a spectacular choreographed journey through the art and history of Sri Lankan heritage; the Children's Arena with storytellers from Bradford Libraries, food stalls offering Caribbean, Dutch, French and Asian cuisine, a colourful open-air market, a go-kart racing game presented by Cartoon Network, the cameras of Zee TV, carnival floats and Marshall's Fun Fair.

The Free Zoora Shah campaign is also to launch a new petition at the Mela calling on Home Secretary Jack Straw to reduce her life sentence.

Mrs Shah, a Bradford mother-of-three, is in Holloway Jail after being convicted of the murder of Mohammed Azam, a married man with whom she had been having a relationship.

Her appeal failed earlier this year, despite fresh revelations about years of abuse she says she endured from him. Campaigners may now ask the European Court to overturn the Appeal Court's decision.

They also aim to appeal directly to Mr Straw and aim to collect 20,000 signatures on a petition to him.

Campaigners will have a stall in the Blue Market area located in the Homeless/International section.

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