Celebrate Holi

Celebrate Holi at Brooklyn Children’s Museum! Together with Ajna Dance Company and The Culture Tree, get ready for our annual celebration of springtime, renewal, color, and play!

Known as the “Color Festival,” Holi originated in India and is now enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. Come hungry and ready to play as we celebrate a day of art, dance, food, music, and wonder that will make your whole family feel like you’ve been transported to the streets of India (or Trinidad or Guyana).

And it wouldn’t be Holi without color powder. We’ll be taking over neighboring Brower Park with pounds of color powder to throw in the air. Make sure to wear WHITE for color powder play and secure your tickets and powder early for this unforgettable day!

There are three Celebrate Holi sessions, each 2.5 hours long. The performance line-up is the same for each session, and each culminates in color powder play—rain or shine!

Schedule

Make a Thandai Milkshake

10:30 am–11:00 am

Thandai is a popular traditional Indian beverage made for festivals like Holi. Take part in this hands-on workshop where you’ll be introduced to the traditional spices and flavors used to make thandai – and then make and taste it for yourself!

Henna

11:00 am–12:00 pm

Decorate your hands with the hottest henna designs of the season! Celebrate the coming of spring with traditional and modern henna tattoos, inked by professional henna artists.

The Story of Holi

11:00 am–11:20 am

Discover the story of Holi at a engaging storytime brought to life by Anu Sehgal, author and Founder of The Culture Tree. Hear as Anu reads from her book Kahaani Rangeeli, a colorful story about Krishna and his friends celebrating Holi.

Bollywood Dance Class

11:30 am–12:00 pm

Hear the Story of Holi and move to the rhythms of Bollywood dance at this interactive workshop led by Ajna Dance Company. This 30-minute program includes storytelling, a dance performance, and a dance workshop that showcases the traditions and rituals of Holi.

Color Play & Dance Party

12:00 pm–12:30 pm

Let the party begin! Pick up your powder and join us in the park to throw color powder and dance to Bollywood beats spun by DJ Dynamite.

Mandala Creations Art Project

10:00 am–10:30 am, 10:45 am–11:15 am, 11:30 am–12:00 pm

Mandalas are beautiful pieces of geometric art filled with intricate patterns and colors that represent harmony and unity. Join artist Manasi Arya in our ColorLab art studio to learn about mandalas and practice creating your own.

Holi Powder Dye Workshop

10:00 am–10:30 am, 10:45 am–11:15 am, 11:30 am–12:00 pm

Did you know that traditional Holi powder is made using dyes that come from plants? Join us in our new STEM makerspace to learn about plants and the colors that they produce! Start by exploring how color is made, and then test different plant-based pigments to create your own unique colors.

Food Vendors

All day

Take in the smells and flavors of Holi at one of our local vendors – including Punjabi food by Veeray da Dhaba, Indian-inspired flavors by Malai Ice Cream, and South Asian bites by TAGMO.

Powder

Powder is available for purchase onsite at BCM on the day of Celebrate Holi.

Online powder sales are now closed. If you previously purchased powder online, your powder is being held at the Museum and will be distributed on the day of the festival during your session.

Powder is sold in bundles, with each bundle containing 4 packets of color powder.

Partners

Brooklyn Children’s Museum is proud to partner with Ajna Dance Company and The Culture Tree for this year’s Celebrate Holi festival.