A POPULAR event bringing together people from a variety of cultures will mark its 10th anniversary.

The free Culture Bazaar will return to Carlisle's Richard Rose Central Academy this weekend to mark its special birthday.

The event was formed in 2007 but ceased in 2013 as it became too big and popular for organisers to run.

However, due to popular and with increased support, the inclusive, multicultural event encourages over 50 heritages to unite to learn, experience and share each other's cultures through music, dance, food, sport, games and film returned in 2018.

It continues to go from strength to strength and will return on Saturday and Sunday between 11am and 5.30pm, with a variety of performances, workshops and cooking demonstrations.

The event will also see the return of the popular stalls and food vendors, celebrating a wide range of cultural delights.

Chief officer and founder of Culture Bazaar, Saj Ghafoor, of Multicultural Cumbria, said: "For me, it's been quite a rollercoaster to get to where we are today.

"Originally it started as a community event in 2007 with 200 people, and after a break, it's just grown to where we had 4,500 people attend last year.

"The event just seems to work and the community is engaged with it as we ask them what they want to do. We are happy for them to get involved because it's their culture and their heritage, and they are the experts so we want to facilitate that.

"Culture Bazaar is very much about bringing the community, no matter what their background, together and helping them to be proud of their culture, and to meet with friends and neighbours they may not have spoken to before.

"It's about focusing on sharing our similarities but also celebrating our differences."