International stars in the world of bhangra music are set to descend upon the capital later this summer as the Edinburgh Mela returns to Pilrig Park for its 13th year.

With two albums already to his name, Jassi Sidhu has played a major role in developing bhangra in the UK and will be performing at this year's Edinburgh Mela for the first time. Alongside Jassi, male group ADH, known as the bad boys of bhangra', will be a crowd-pleaser with their diverse mix of song and dance.

The Edinburgh Mela is an annual celebration of inter-culturalism, featuring music, food, dance and visual arts from all over the world, and this year a new element of theatre has been introduced to the programming.

It will take place on the weekend of the 1 & 2 September 2007, with the ever popular Ladies Only Night on the Friday.

This year will see the introduction of a separate daytime artistic director, Stephanie Turner, who has a vast range of experience working in the Scottish arts sector, including the Edinburgh Fringe, Book Festival and Royal Lyceum Theatre.

Stephanie wants to build on how the people of Edinburgh embrace the Mela and celebrate the creativity and diversity it has to offer. She is excited about the daytime programme which encapsulates experiences from around the world and intertwines them with Scotland's diversity. This will be showcased through Festival journey around the world' as part of the daytime programme, she said: "I want to introduce some brand new themes to create a dynamic and inspiring atmosphere for this year's festival. Hopefully this will capture everything that is special and vibrant about Scotland's cultural diversity."

Also new for 2007, music guru Vipin Kumar of Edinburgh-based VIP Records will be producing the evening entertainment programme.

The Mela Board has recently secured the appointment of Liam Sinclair who will be the first ever full time, permanent Festival Director. Liam is currently Head of YouthWorks Drama at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, where his responsibilities include activities to promote inclusion and diversity within the performing arts. He will take up his new post, funded by Scottish Arts Council and City of Edinburgh Council, in October this year Liam is looking forward to the challenge, he said: "It is a very exciting time for the arts in Scotland with real opportunities for growth and development. The Edinburgh Mela has an important role to play in ensuring that the Scottish arts scene remains a diverse one."

Chair of the Edinburgh Mela, Cllr Lesley Hinds, believes that there is a lot to look forward to, she said: "Year upon year, we've brought innovative ideas to the Mela - this year will be no exception. With Liam joining as full time, permanent Director in October, the Edinburgh Mela will now be more than just a one-weekend a-year activity."

A full programme of artists and performers attending this year's Mela will be released early August.