Colour Fest is a celebration of the Spring festivals Holi and Vaisakhi. This multi-dimensional festival features vibrant music and dance performances by South Asian artists and a live Colour Zone where participants cover each other in coloured powder. Families can also participate in Vaisakhi and Holi themed art activities.
Known as the festival of colors, Holi takes place on the last full moon in the lunar month of Phalguna. It is also known as the festival of love and the festival of joy.
Revelers celebrate this festival in India and around the globe by covering each other in coloured to celebrate the beginning of spring and to commemorate various Hindu legends.
This ancient tradition marks the end of winter and honors the triumph of good over evil. The festival is also an invocation for a good spring harvest season. Celebrants light bonfires, throw colourful powder called gulal, eat sweets, and dance to traditional folk music.
The colours used in Holi are often created from flowers and herbs; the hot climate of India is ideal for producing bright natural dyes.
Vaisakhi is a harvest festival that originated in the Punjab region of northern India. It honours the creation of the Khalsa order. It also promotes the creation of a more equal and just society.
Vaisakhi is celebrated by Sikh communities around the world. The day commences with a visit to the gurdwara, a place of worship. After religious services, people begin a day of celebration. It is customary to wear colourful, traditional clothes and take part in parades through the streets.
During the festival, a traditional folk dance known as Bhangra is performed. This energetic dance is performed to the rhythm of a drum called the dhol.