Every year during Holi, Naperville resident Sarita Sharma takes a break from working in the food court and stands in the middle of the festival grounds just to observe.
Adults, children and even some pets covered in brightly colored flour fill the Riverwalk’s Grand Pavilion, enjoying the opportunity to throw the powder in the air and on each other.
“For some time I stand and look around me and all I see is everybody is loving and smiling and very happy,” Sharma said. “And when I see that, I feel so happy inside me. That is the purpose. That’s the whole point of this.”
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Festivalgoers can throw their worries — and the rainbow colored powders — to the wind when The Festival of Colors is held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 9 at the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion in Naperville. Admission is free, and bags of the organic dyed flour can be purchased for $2 per bag. For safety reasons, only powder purchased at the festival can be thrown.
“What we sell, we know it’s safe,” said Sharma, who started the festival in 2010 with her husband, Naveen. “We don’t allow outside powder at all.”
Now in its 12th year, the festival is a fundraiser for the nonprofit Simply Vedic. The service organization promotes educational and cultural programs, particularly for youth and seniors.
With its origins in an ancient Hindu festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil, the festival also bids adieu to winter and welcomes the arrival of spring and harvest season.
“There are so many reasons and a lot of stories behind it,” Sharma said.
“We personally don’t promote it as a religious festival at all, because it is not,” she said. “But some people from India call it a religious festival. We don’t do that at all because it was basically started to bring harmony and peace and friendship and joy and happiness. This cannot be limited to one community, one religion and one group of people.”
The festival is a group activity, she said, where traditionally everyone gets out of the house and gathers as a neighborhood in friendship and community.
“People will come together and they will put color on each other. They will share treats with each other. They will hug each other,” she said. “It’s promoting friendship and harmony in society. It’s not limited to one group or one people. It’s not limited to one background or religion. Everybody plays with each other.”
Since the Naperville festival began, it was embraced by the community and continues to grow, Sharma said. It typically draws between 2,000-3,0000 people throughout the day, she said.
While the colored powder is tossed among participants throughout the festival, at the top of every hour it is thrown as a group.
“The emcee will announce and count down,” Sharma said. “Everybody gathers in front of the stage and then they throw the colors.”
Entertainment includes live music from the band Timing’s Everything and traditional Indian dance groups. There are vendor booths and a food court offers vegetarian and vegan for sale.
While the brightly colored powder is washable, it is recommended that participants in the throwing wear older clothes.
“Kids have a blast,” Sharma said. “They can get as messy as they want.”
The best part, though, are the smiles on peoples’ faces, Sharma said.
“Happiness and peace is one thing everybody wants in their life … We’re all the same,” Sharma said. “We all want to live in peace and friendship.”
Holi — Festival of Colors
When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. April 9
Where: Riverwalk Grand Pavilion, 500 W Jackson Ave., Naperville
Tickets: Free admission; $2 per bag of flour
Information: 630-355-5468; thefestivalofcolors.org
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Kathy Cichon is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.