St. Catharines celebrates love, life and laughter at Holi Festival of Colour

Hamilton Spectator

9 hours ago

An afternoon of love, life and laughter was celebrated in downtown St. Catharines Saturday.
Over 3,000 people tossed various bright-coloured powders at each other while dancing under an umbrella of a water sent from a St. Catharines firefighter's hose as they celebrated Holi, the festival of colours, love and spring.
Kat Dodge, the recently named executive director of the Downtown St. Catharines Association, which organized the fourth annual festival, said Holi, a major Hindu festival that commemorates the eternal and divine love of the deities Radha and Krishna, as well as signifying the triumph of good over evil, is usually held in the spring.
Participants at the fourth annual Holi Festival June 14 at the Meridian Centre parking lot enjoy throwing coloured powder at each other, then getting a shower from the St. Catharines Fire Department.
'We host it later so we can do it outside,' she said. 'And it is a great opportunity to showcase our downtown, encouraging people to come to other events. It's a really great way for us to encourage people to come to St. Catharines.'
For the last three years it was held on St. Paul Street, but the area became overwhelmed with people and it had to find another larger location — the parking lot of the Meridian Centre.
'It has been amazing to see the people here,' said Dodge. 'We have been really happy here to see all the events and vendors. It is really quite accessible.'
Participants at the Holi Festival at the Meridian Centre's parking lot enjoy the water from the St. Catharines Fire officials June 14. Over 3,000 people attended the event, said organizers.
Last year's event attracted about 3,000 people, with 47 per cent traveling from beyond Niagara . Dodge said new venue holds more people.
The event points to its inclusiveness, fun and ability to generate a remembrance of home for some people, said Dodge.
'It looks like we have more people here than last year,' she said. 'It will be exciting to look at the numbers when we have them.'
Participants enjoy dancing as the water from a St. Catharines Fire Department's hose soaks them during the Holi Festival at the Meridian Centre's parking lot June 14.
Holi originated and is predominately celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, while also spreading to other parts of Asia and to the West. Holi also commemorates the arrival of spring in India, the end of winter and the blossoming of love. It lasts for a night and day.
Dancers perform during the Holi Festival at the Meridian Centre's parking lot in downtown St. Catharines. Over 3,000 people attended the popular event.
Avikash Sharna, who is from Kitchener, was enjoying dancing with his friends as several St. Catharines firefighters took turns spraying the crowd with water, while bhangra music was pounded relentlessly from the disc jockey.
'This is amazing,' he said. 'It's a lot of fun.'
St. Catharines Firefighter Mandi McClellan has some fun spraying water to welcoming participants of the Holi Festival at the Meridian Centre parking lot.
The free event, the idea of the association's members, also featured authentic Indian music, kids activities, food and educational workshops provided by the St. Catharines Downtown Association and the St. Catharines Public Library.
Dodge, who also enjoyed dancing with the crowd and association volunteers, also participated in throwing around some coloured powder.
'I'm trying to stay as dry as possible,' she said. 'This has become one of my favourite events.'