Holi 2023: When is it and where can you celebrate the festival of colours in Birmingham?

Coupled with Bollywood music and colour play, it is a fun festival to be part of even if you are not religious
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The Hindu festival of Holi will be celebrated on March 8 this year. It is one of the most important and popular festivals and there will be multiple celebrations in Birmingham to mark the arrival of spring.

It is a celebration of good over evil and the divine and eternal love between the god Krishna and his beloved Radha. The festival used to be celebrated in South Asian countries like India and Nepal - where there is a larger Hindu population. And, now, it is celebrated in other countries where there is a Hindu diaspora.

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Coupled with Bollywood music and colour play, it is a fun festival to be part of even if you are not religious. It is also customary to drink bhaang - an edible preparation made from the leaves of the cannabis plant - in India. However, to follow the laws of the UK there won’t be any bhaang during celebrations.

Every year, people dress up in white clothes or even tatty ones because the colours can wreck your clothing for the event. They gather up their friends and family to celebrate with water guns and dry and wet colours.

If you want to be part of the celebrations, here are five places in and around Birmingham to go:

1. Shri Venkateswara Balaji Temple, Tividale

This is a free community event in a Hindu temple on March 11. There will be a cultural programme, colour play, bonfire and refreshments and prasad - food offered to the deity is distributed among the followers.

2. Holi Paint Party UK Tour 2023 - Secret venue in Birmingham

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On March 8, there is a paint party from 10:00pm-March 9 at 3:00am at a secret venue in Birmingham. This is a ticketed event and the tickets include a free white T-shirt and paint powder. It is a festival of colour and unity, and the party is bringing dance, face painting, and some big surprises.

Holi will be celebrated on March 8 this year (Photo - Unsplash/ Varun Verma)Holi will be celebrated on March 8 this year (Photo - Unsplash/ Varun Verma)
Holi will be celebrated on March 8 this year (Photo - Unsplash/ Varun Verma)

3. Holi Party in Rowley Regis

The Indians in Birmingham group is bringing a Holi event- Balam Pichkaari - on March 19 to Three Diamonds Bar and Grill. It will include a cultural performances, a three course meal, drinks, dance, and colour play.

This is a ticketed event: £19.99 for adults and £9.99 for children between 5-12 years. For more details, check here.

4. Bollynights HOLI UV RAVE - Bambu

On Friday, March 10, Bambu is hosting a Holi party from 10pm onwards. They will provide glowsticks and uv colour paint. Bambu nightclub is located on Wrottesley Street. At the event, there will be dhol drummers, live performances, and other surprises. DJs Manny, Rohit, and Avi will be playing their music for the crowd as well.

For more details, check their event website.

5. Celebrating Holi at The Core Theatre, Solihull

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This is a community event on March 1. You can join the fun at The Core as Art at the Heart celebrate Holi - The Festival of Colour with a range of fun family and community activities throughout the day. Art at the Heart CIC has worked with the local community to shape a series of exciting family friendly creative activities. Funded by the National Lottery and supported by SMBC, they’ll be presenting at The Core, Solihull 12th March 2023, 10am - 3.00pm.

You can take part in Splat Art, The Big Community Colour Weave, Bubble Art, Spin Art, Crazy Paisley Patternmaking. For more information, check The Core Theatre website.

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