What is the Holi Festival of Colours and where I can celebrate it in London?

Party goers at the Holi Festival of Colours in London held near Battersea Power station - (Richard Gray/EMPICS)

Traditions do not get much more fun than Holi, the Hindu festival that celebrates spring, love, and new life.

Some families hold religious ceremonies, but others use the colourful centuries-old festival for a Joyful time – hurling paint at each other.

Today, Wednesday March 4, marks this year’s Holi celebration, as communities across the UK and around the world take part in the vibrant festivities.

Find out more about Holi, also known as the “festival of colours”, below.

What is Holi?

Holi marks the arrival of spring and the end of winter. It is usually celebrated in March.

It is a tradition celebrated across the Indian subcontinent by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and nonbelievers alike, and is held annually to mark the start of spring and celebrate life. For Hindus, it’s a time to celebrate the love of Radha Krishna and the triumph of good over evil with events that begin with a ritual evening bonfire, followed by coloured paint flinging, music, and feasting the following day.

When is Holi 2026?

Holi falls on Wednesday March 4 this year, although many celebrations will take place on the weekend.

How is Holi celebrated?

On night one of Holi, traditionally, people light bonfires and throw popcorn, coconut, and chickpeas onto them.

The next day, people of all ages go into the streets for fun and paint-throwing.

What do the Holi colours mean?

Some people believe the Holi colours came from Krishna mischievously throwing coloured water over his milkmaids when he was a boy. This developed into the practical jokes and the games of Holi that are played every year.

Where can I celebrate Holi in London?

There are a few places where Londoners can celebrate the colourful festival:

The London ki Holi Festival will take place this weekend, on Saturday, March 7, from midday until 9pm and promises an abundance of light, love, colour and live acts. It is set to be one of London’s largest celebrations.

Taking place at Hainault Skatepark, there will be food stalls, family photo booths, outdoor kids zones and a huge entertainment line-up featuring nine hours of music and colour.

• Holi London 2026 is taking place today (March 4) from midday until 8pm and is an outdoor event in Stratford with music and colours.
• London Holi Festival at Hackney Bridge is taking place on March 7 from 11am to 6pm and will involve performances from trending DJs with non-stop Desi beats to mouth-watering street food stalls, this is definitely an event you won't want to miss.
• House of Holi - running from March 6 to March 16 at Cinnamon Kitchen in Devonshire Square. The events will see a 30-minute, immersive paint-throwing session in a specialized pod, featuring festive food.
• Holi Festival of Joy and Colours in Camden taking place on March 7 from midday to 5 PM. This event is a “celebration featuring music and colors in Camden” say organisers. For more information, visit here.
• For more Holi events in London, visit here.