On Sunday, April 30th, a hundred people from the Hamlin community gathered at the Marina Middle School to usher in Spring and celebrate Holi, the Indian Festival of Colors. Holi signifies the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring, the end of winter, and for many it is a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. There was delicious Indian food served, arts and crafts for children, an informal dance lesson, and of course, plenty of color to go around!

Bianca Gates (1st grade Hamlin mom) and her family participated in Holi for the first time. After the event, she reflected, “my experience on Sunday was truly a phenomenal and memorable one, and something our family will make a tradition for years to come. The celebration was full of love and enthusiasm for life, family, friends and Spring! We arrived not knowing what to expect. Within minutes, friends and children were welcoming us with hugs… and unbeknownst to us, their hands were full of colored powder that they dumped on us. Everyone got messy—our hair, faces, clothes and shoes were filled with color. My favorite part was feeling like a kid again and dumping powder on others – especially the kids!  By the end of the celebration, we were all covered in bright colors, big smiles and full hearts. The only thing that could have made the day better was celebrating with other Hamlin families who were unable to attend. I’m looking forward to celebrating Holi again next year!”

This wonderful community-building event was created by Hamlin’s PLAID group. To learn more about PLAID, please visit: https://www.hamlin.org/page/plaid