Holi in New York City

Holi was celebrated in India on Wednesday March 15.

If you are in NYC on March 19, head over to Queens, to participate in the Phagwah Parade in Richmond Hill Celebrating Holi

As the announcement says Phagwah / Holi Introduction: Phagwah, or Holi, is the Indo-Caribbean Hindu celebration of the new year. Every spring, the Sunday after the first full moon of the Hindu calendar, Phagwah literally paints the streets as kids and families “color” one another with dye (abrac) and powder and chase away the winter grays. The spirit–and high-jinks–are like that of Carnival. […link…]

Here are some pics from the Parade in 2004.

Details of this years parade are

• When: Sunday, March 19, 2006
• Starting Time: Noon * Where: Liberty Avenue and 133rd Street, Richmond Hill, NY 11419
• Route: Liberty Avenue and 134th Street > west on Liberty > north on 123rd Street > east on 94th Avenue > to Smokey Oval Park at 125th Street.
• Festival: Music and other cultural performances at Smokey Oval Park after the parade.

“Celebrating Holi the Eco-Friendly Way” is a good presentation on the origins of Holi and what the festival stands for.