Festival of Colors coming to Ogden Saturday

Festival of Colors coming to Ogden Saturday

(Courtesy of Festival of Color)


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OGDEN — The always popular Festival of Colors will make its way to Ogden for the first time Saturday.

After a public demand to expand to Ogden, the Krishna Temple of Spanish Fork will put on the festival from noon to 4 p.m. at West Stadium Park, 1650 Jefferson Ave., according to festival coordinator Charu Das.

Das believes attendees will “experience more peace in their own lives and then that will radiate and benefit society in general."

“We especially know that there’s a lot of young people in Ogden that may not have a specific direction or maybe not feeling much purpose in their life,” Das said. “I think the Festival of Colors does a better job than almost anything else I can think of to get them going, to get a great vision for the future.”

Two live bands, Ananda Groove and Nam Rock, will entertain guests with Kirtan music. Das credits the music for drawing crowds back year after year, he said.

“It’s not singing about temporary relationships in this material world, which will be lost, but it’s talking about our eternal relationship with God … you don’t get any of that in the top 40 hits,” Das said.

Also at the event, guests can enjoy vegetarian food, free yoga classes, interactive dancing and DJ Lokah Bhakti, and the corn starch color throws at the top of every hour, Das said.

The Holi Festival of Colors originated in Spanish Fork more than 15 years ago and drew a crowd of 50,000 this year. The festival takes place each year to commemorate the coming of Spring, Das said.

The Festival of Colors in Utah takes place in Spanish Fork, St. George, Salt Lake and Ogden.

Although this event is taking place a bit later in the year, Das said they “take the metaphor of renewal and rejuvenation one step further” and recognize people should “throw off the old and embrace the new” every season and every day.

Little boy sits on his dad's shoulders amid a crowd of thousands at the Holi Festival of Colors. (Photo: Courtesy of Festival of Colors)
Little boy sits on his dad's shoulders amid a crowd of thousands at the Holi Festival of Colors. (Photo: Courtesy of Festival of Colors)

Das believes one reason the festival in Utah is the most popular in the world is because of Utah’s spiritual culture, particularly the strong presence of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“The festival is an opportunity for everybody, and maybe even especially people with an LDS background and LDS values, to come out and sing and dance and have a great time and be inhibited in an atmosphere that’s totally alcohol, drug and cigarette free.”

Das added you don’t have to be a believer or a Krishna to attend the event.

At the top of each hour Saturday, the bands will create a drumroll while the master of ceremonies counts down from 10 before the crowd participates in the hourly color throw, Das said.

“There’s just something very liberating about throwing the colors up in the air,” Das said. “It’s almost akin to throwing your worries to the wind, putting yourself into the hands of a benign father and into the arms of your spiritual brothers and sisters and realizing that if you get the most important things right, to love God and love your neighbors, there’s no reason to sweat the small stuff, that’ll take care of itself.”

Admission to this event is $5 for adults and free of charge for guests 12 and under.

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Megan Marsden Christensen

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