The Holi festival of colour --The annual festival of Holi is celebrated predominantly in India and Nepal, though the festival has recently started making its way into Europe and America.
Taking place on 13 March this year, the Holi festival of colour will last two days, kicking-off with the Holika bonfire - a ritual conducted to ward off evil spirits – and ending with the Rangwali Holi – where individuals playfully throw colourful powdered-paint on each other. It is a tradition meant to acknowledge the start of the spring equinox, as well as celebrate a new period of re-growth following a successful harvest season.
London celebrates Holi in style
Like those hypnotic and electric songs drawing crowds towards Glastonbury each year (from mud lovers, electric souls, and Bohemian city dwellers), the Holi festival of colour will see Londoners from all walks of life coming together to enjoy a uniquely immersive experience - regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity, or social background. Though Londoner’s will have to wait until 29 July for the London version of the Holi festival – far from when the festival is actually held in March.
Holi parties and festivities
Until then, festival-goers can contend themselves with a few small events happening all around London: from a series of parties held at Cinnamon Kitchen Paint Pods (from 7 to 18 March), where you can enjoy a thirty minute paint-throwing session, or two parties thrown by Dishroom at the York Hall in Bethnal Green (Sunday 12 March) which is aimed at encouraging kindness, diversity, and public spirit among London inhabitants.
At an event hosted by Chai Ki of Canary Wharf this Sunday, you can also expect to enjoy another long afternoon being served Indian delicacies as well as a few cocktails on board a magnificent boat as it sails across London’s Hackney Wick.
So whether you decide to hop on board a boat, attend a few parties, or partake in one of the many paint-throwing activities, make sure both you and your family have lots of fun this Holi festival.
