Ready to celebrate Holi in Greenville, SC? Locally, this springtime Hindu festival will be celebrated on March 31st, 2024 at the Vedic Center of Greenville in Mauldin. Learn about this family-friendly event where you can experience Holi in Greenville, SC.
What is Holi?
Each spring, Hindus around the world celebrate the festival of Holi.
Holi is a two-day festival that falls on March 24th and March 25th this year. The first day of Holi, called Holika Dahan, is always on the full moon of March and, in many Hindu communities, celebrants will light bonfires. The lighting of bonfires is drawn from Hindu mythology and signifies the triumph of good and the destruction of evil.
The second day of Holi, called Rangwali Holi, culminates with the event with which most non-Hindus are familiar: people joyously dancing and tossing colored powders on one another. One interpretation of the colors that are tossed and smeared is that they signify the soon-to-be-unfolding vibrant colors of Spring.
Celebration Holi in Greenville, SC
The family-friendly event at the Vedic Center of Greenville is on Sunday, March 31st and begins at 12 pm and ends at 4 pm. The cost of admission is $10 for adults and children 3 and younger are free (India Association of Greenville members can get tickets for $5) Admission includes delicious Indian food, music, and colors. (“Colors” are small bags of colored powder for tossing on one another.) Carpooling is encouraged. Parking is available in the Vedic Center parking lot, as well as that of nearby Bethel Elementary.
Indian food will be served and then DJ-fueled dancing and color tossing will follow. Because this is an outdoor event, it is weather-dependent.
If you plan to go, be prepared for a fun mess! Wear clothes that you don’t mind possibly ruining. Seasoned Holi celebrants know to wear white, which showcases the vibrant powders. Bring a change of clothes, baby wipes, and/or towels or plastic sheets to protect your car when you leave. Wear dancing shoes!
Learn More About Holi
If your family wants to learn more about Holi, you may want to explore the following books.
- “Holi, Festival of Colors” by Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal. This picture book tells the story of a brother and sister’s preparations for Holi and, in turn, the meaning of this joyous and colorful holiday.
- “Holi Colors” by Rina Singh is a board book with photos and rhymes that capture the bright celebration of Holi.
- “Holi” by Lynne Peppas describes the history of Holi and how it is celebrated around the world.
To learn more about the Greenville Holi event, follow the pages of the event’s hosts on Facebook.
India Association of Greenville
Vedic Center of Greenville
Looking for more ways to celebrate spring?
https://growingupgupta.com/holi-must-haves-teaching-multicultural-child-holi/
I just stumbled upon this nice overview of Holi, that includes some other resources. (NOTE: While this article mentions the use of water on Holi, the event at the Vedic Center of Greenville is a DRY event!)
What a great article … informative, distinct, and well-written. Thank you India for letting us know about an event that all can participate in regardless of their religious beliefs!