Photo Credit: CFJC Today

By Noah Rishaug

Cultural Events

Holi festival returns to Riverside Park in Kamloops, drawing large crowd

Apr 3, 2023 | 4:19 PM

KAMLOOPS — Colourful scenes filled Riverside Park on Sunday as people from all walks of life came together to celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival of colours, love and spring. The event featured a DJ playing Hindu music, a vegetarian food stand — and an endless supply of paint. Attendees slung powdered paint with festive joy, turning the park into a large canvas.

Holi was originally hosted at Thompson Rivers University as a much smaller event. In 2019, organizers moved locations to Riverside Park and, due to the pandemic, they were unable to host the event. Sunday’s event marked its return.

The festival pulled more than 1,000 attendees from across the city, including the mayor and some council members. Riverside Park was packed with people, and the air was filled with powdered paint.

Holi is a significant festival in Hindu culture, marking the beginning of spring and celebrating the season of life, warmth and colour. The festival is an occasion to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. Organizers hope to use the Hindu festival to bridge social gaps by bringing people together for cultural exchange.

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The event was a vibrant and exciting celebration of culture and community, and it was clear that festival-goers had a fantastic time. With its return to Riverside Park, Holi looks set to become a firm favourite in Kamloops’ festival calendar.