An annual Indian festival has been postponed due to potential rain.
More than 1,000 people were expected to pelt each other with packets of colored paint during UF Indian Student Association’s fourth Holi festival. The event, which celebrates the start of spring, was supposed to be Saturday. The group estimated it would cost about $7,000.
Dhara Patel, a co-director of the festival, said the event will likely be pushed back to April. It wouldn’t have gone well in the rain because of soggy food and potential issues with the DJ’s equipment.
Called the Festival of Colors, Patel said students throw colors to celebrate spring’s changing colors.
“The powder would be affected, too, because as soon as it comes in contact with water, it would clump together,” the 20-year-old UF microbiology and cell science sophomore said. “It wouldn’t be as fun to play with.”
The festival was supposed to take place for the first time on Norman Field, said Anjelika Chatwal, the former director and current co-director of the festival.
They also got Mr. Magnum, the DJ from Magic 101.3, to play Indian music, the 21-year-old UF behavioral and cognitive neuroscience junior said.
Chatwal said while she was sad to cancel the event, having it in the rain would have ruined the festivities.
“It’s definitely a sad situation for us,” she said. “Both Dhara and I have been working really hard to figure out the best solution for this.”
