Free cultural colour festival planned for Boston's Central Park

The Holi event will take place in Central Park on Saturday, March 18, with ‘an extravaganza of colour play’ – involving coloured powers thrown into the air.

There will also be fun games, authentic Indian food stalls and entertainment at the festival, which runs 11am-4pm.

It is being organised by the Indian Cultural Organization of Lincolnshire, a newly-formed organization to promote awareness of Indian culture in Lincolnshire.

A spokesperson explained: “Holi is one of the biggest Indian festival celebrated across Indian subcontinent. It is the festival of extravagant colours, sweets, fun, music, and dance.

“Last year over 2,000 people attended the first India Day in Lincoln, [at the Engine Shed], when organisers from the Indian Cultural Organization curated a free community event.”

Now, the organisation says it plans to “bring the party to Boston”.

Organiser Dr Deepa Agarwal, a consultant paediatrician, added: “We worked so hard to bring together a feast of Indian culture, music and art, which proved to be very popular indeed in Lincoln .

"It is our ambition to share the enthusiasm for Indian culture across the county. Boston is our next event, to celebrate Holi.”

The Holi festival has its origins in ancient times, celebrating the arrival of spring. The colourful event aims to bridge ‘social gaps’ and ‘bring people together’.

Handfuls of coloured powders of red, green and yellow are thrown into the air, with each colour carrying a symbolic meaning. Red is said to symbolise love and fertility, while green stands for new beginnings.

Dr Agarwal concluded, saying he hopes the festival will be “the biggest event of its kind in the history of Lincolnshire.”

Those invited to attend the event include the Indian Consulate General Birmingham, the Mayor of Boston, the Boston and Skegness MP, the Consulate General of India, the NHS Chief Executive, and the Medical Director of Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT).

Although the event is free, booking is said to be ‘essential’ via this link.

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