2017 Holi Hai Spring Color Festival Comes to Governors Island

Holi Hai, the 8th annual free springtime celebration of the triumph of good over evil and spiritual renewal has grown in popularity making Governors Island the venue of choice this year. Known as "the happiest event in New York City" Holi Hai is the largest open festival of colors in the east coast and has drawn more and more people steadily each year since its inception. The event, which is traditionally celebrated mostly in India and Nepal, includes live music performances, dancing, crowd participation and authentic Indian cuisine with the highlight being the traditional color-throwing festivities which leaves revelers covered in a variety of pichkaris, which span the beautiful colors of the rainbow. Imagine thousands of people covered from head to toe in powdered color! It's beautiful, messy and so much fun.

Hosted by NYC Bhangra Dance Company, the free event encourages people to connect, embrace diversity, spread goodwill, joy, love and peace. Attendees come wearing white, they purchase colored powder from stalls and have fun throwing the colored powder onto one another in a joyous celebration of diversity and inclusiveness. The powders represent happiness, love and the freedom to live vibrantly.

"We are thrilled to see how this event has caught on in New York City and want to make sure this year's venue is more spacious in anticipation for even more revelers. It's a fun time with high energy, love, positivity with plenty of delicious food, lively music, great activities for the little ones and lots of dancing. Although optional the color tossing makes it truly a unique celebration with the final results, a stunning visual work of art," says Megha Kalia, Event Producer.

This year's event will take place at the Ball Fields on the western side of Governors Island on May 6th beginning at 10am and ending at 5pm. Specifically, the day will be filled with dance performances, live music bands, live Indian drums (Dhols), interactive dance workshops which are fun and festive. There will also be an activity area for children making the celebration appropriate for people of all ages.

Although the event is FREE, people are encouraged to RSVP by visiting https://www.nycholi.com/. A suggested donation of $15 is welcomed and colors can be preordered to make sure you have enough to throw.

Governors Island is a 172-acre island in the heart of New York Harbor and is a 6-minute ferry ride from lower Manhattan and a much closer commute from Brooklyn, it is a prime location for large festivals in NYC.