9 Things Every Holi Festival Goer Needs To Know
SUMMIT, NJ, MAY 2019 – Join us to celebrate Holi! A traditional Indian festival that signifies the victory of good over evil and beauty of spring! Everyone is encouraged to participate in this free, fun and joyous outdoor color throwing festival with music, dancing, delicious food and more! During the Holi Festival, festival goers are encouraged to throw organic powdered colors* at each other to honor the legend of Krishna whose skin was dark blue. Krishna played a prank on Radha, whose complexion was fair, with color to make her similar to his own dark blue skin. This prank and gesture has since been adopted as a festival activity for all to enjoy the mischievousness and playful nature of Krishna. The powder is also symbolic of the colors within Indian culture; red for love and fertility, blue for Krishna, yellow for turmeric (auspicious and sacred in Indian culture, used in cooking and medicines) and green for spring and new beginnings.
*NON-TOXIC ORGANIC COLORS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT AT THE SUMMIT VILLAGE GREEN. WHITE ATTIRE RECOMMENDED! Gulal color powder is made from corn starch/rice flour, food grade color and are eco-friendly and biodegradable.
HOLI COLOR FESTIVAL:
WHEN: Saturday, June 1, 2019
TIME: 11AM-2PM
WHERE: Summit Village Green
FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:
•THROWING OF COLORED GULAL POWDER!
• LIVE DJ (BOLLYWOOD & FUSION MUSIC)
• DANCE WORKSHOP
• GREAT INDIAN CUISINE
Free parking at the Broad Street Parking Garage
Here’s 9 tips on how to get ready for holi!
1. Apply proper layer of cream or oil on the body, your hair, your face, your arms and legs. If you do, you’ll have a better chance of washing the color off at the end of the day. Coconut or almond oil are recommended - so pack some to take with you.
2. If you have light colored hair and you don't want it to get stained with color, cover your head. Either tie your hair up and wrap a scarf around your head OR wear a shower cap - a Louvelle Shower Turban is a stylish alternative that really works! Or, just embrace your inner unicorn or mermaid and love your new multi-colored hair for the next few months.. :)
3. Wear clothes you don’t mind disposing of, but the best would be to wear cheap white clothes. What better to be a blank canvas for all that color? You are going to get color everywhere and all over yourself, so don’t wear anything expensive or fancy. Also, bring replacement clothes to change out of if you plan on going somewhere other than home afterwards.
4. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes. If you wear prescription lenses, those will get colored too so wrap them in plastic or, better still, bring an old pair you no longer need or love.
5. Wear ear plugs – it will help keep any Holi color powder out of your ears! If it takes months to get color out of your hair, imagine how long it takes to get it out of the crevasses in your ears?
6. If you bring a camera or your phone, wrap it in plastic wrap to protect your lens. You don’t want color powder clouding your lens or expensive gadgets months after the event!
7. Bring towels, wet wipes and a spray bottle of water to wipe yourself down to help you clean up afterwards if you aren’t heading home right away (but you really should).
8. Bring garbage bags to cover up your car seats as a cheap, convenient way to help protect your car. The last thing you want is to go to work or school the next day, just to get your clean clothes covered in color powder on your backside!
9. Bring a cheap clear bag for your phone/wallet etc. to put around your waist or on a lanyard around your neck. Forget bringing your beloved purses and bags because those will get covered in color powder. Or if you think that’s cheesy, wear clothes with zippers so you can store your wallet or phone in a safe spot.
To learn more about the Holi Color Festival, read a blog post by Summit Area YMCA Urvashi Patel at https://www.thesay.org/Blog/Article/245/How-the-Holi-Color-Festival-Came-to-Summit
To register for the Holi Color Festival, go to https://www.thesay.org/Holi-Registration
Questions? Contact:
urvashi patel
Human Resources Associate
CONNECT WITH ME
Email: urvashi.patel@thesay.org
Phone: (908) 743-1318
To learn more about various upcoming events at the Summit Area YMCA, please visit www.thesay.org/calendar
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About the Summit Area YMCA
The Summit Area YMCA is one of the area’s leading 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. Founded in 1886, the Summit Area YMCA has a history steeped in working side-by-side with our neighbors to ensure that everyone, regardless of age, income and background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. Each year, we serve more than 10,000 individuals with our free and fee-based programs and services in an area spanning the communities of Berkeley Heights, Gillette, Millburn, New Providence, Short Hills, Springfield, Stirling and Summit. Through the generosity of our members, donors, and partners, we are able to offer financial assistance for our programs and services to those with demonstrated need.