By Dominique Sabins, Special to the Blog. Photo by Greg Maass
Join us at the Phinney Center on March 21 to celebrate love and the arrival of spring at this yearโs Holi festival. This Phinney Neighborhood Association event first originated with a community member who wanted to share this Hindu holiday and tradition with the PhinneyWood neighborhood. The PNAโs energetic Holi festival is the perfect way to enjoy the changing seasons with dancing, music, local food vendors, and a flurry of colorful powder.
Once youโre ready to take a break from all the dancing and powder throwing, thereโll be food available for purchase from two local vendors who are rooted in the culture of this festival. Spice Waala will be serving up Indian street food, including their popular Khati Rolls. In addition to Spice Waala, Kathmandu MoMo Cha will be selling Nepalese dumplings.
Our DJ for the event is DJ KP, a Seattle-based DJ that specializes in Indian fusion music. This event is a dance party at its core so come ready to dance and share in the joy of Holi. Before you go, stop by our photo booth to snag a photo with your group.
In past years this event has seen over a thousand visitors, so donโt wait to grab your ticket and secure your spot!
The history of Holi
Holi, the festival of colors, is a Hindu holiday that signals the end of winter and beginning of spring. This changing of the seasons celebrates the triumph of good over evil and symbolizes the love between the Hindu deities Radha and Krishna. The Holi festival exudes laughter and joy, with colorful powder and water that participants throw at each other while dancing.
The festival of colors is observed on the full moon of Phalguna, which usually falls in the middle of march. Holi is primarily celebrated in India and Nepal, and is also observed in parts of South Asia and countries with large Hindu populations.
Tips for this yearโs event
If this is your first time celebrating Holi, there are a couple things to keep in mind. All the colorful powder can be a bit messy โ- but thatโs part of the fun. Your ticket comes with two bags of powder, and you can purchase more as needed. To be best prepared, wear clothes that you donโt mind getting dirty. Some participants especially like wearing white to accentuate the colors. When you get home, you can even turn this white shirt into a tie-dye pattern if you let the powder sit. You can also preorder a white t-shirt from the PNA for this event when you buy your ticket, and there may be some left over to buy day-of.
Kids love this event, but be prepared with a couple extra things to help them enjoy the day. In past years, parents have given their kids swim goggles or face masks if they are sensitive to powder getting in their eyes or mouth. It may also be helpful to have towels ready in the car if you drive to the event so you can clean up before getting in the car and transferring any powder.
If youโre ready to welcome spring with a colorful dance party, donโt miss this yearโs Holi event. Tickets are on sale now, head to phinneycenter.org to snag yours today!
Event details:
March 21, 1-3pm
Phinney Center lower parking lot
$8 child, $15 member, $20 adult, children two and under free