Have you ever wanted to celebrate Holi, but can’t swing a trip out to India? Never fear, fellow adventurer: you can attend the Festival of Colors in Spanish Fork, Utah!
You heard me. Spanish. Fork. Utah.
The Radha Krishna Temple lies about an hour south of Salt Lake City and hosts the Festival of Colors every year during the last weekend in March. If you’ve driven from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, chances are you’ve seen this temple perched on a small hill set against the mighty Wasatch Mountains.
The temple is normally a tranquil place to worship, with the brightest colors coming from the peacocks that roam around the grounds. All that changes for one weekend in early spring.
The Festival of Colors (Holi) is a time where people are seen singing, dancing, and throwing colorful chalk at each other. The “official” color toss takes place on the hour, but chalk could hit you at any time.
I’m pretty sure that 10 feet into the festival I was covered in green and yellow chalk. The tradition dates back thousands of years in India where flower petals were thrown in gratitude of Krishna, ushering in the spring.
Today, colorful chalk is thrown, symbolizing the colors of spring bursting forth in stark contrast to the dreary winter. Even if you don’t have a deep understanding of Krishna, you are invited and encouraged to attend the festival…and I can’t think of a more fun-loving way to usher in spring!
How to Purchase Tickets:
*You can buy tickets at the door, but it is advisable and much more economical to purchase your tickets online ahead of time.
| VIP for 2 | 2 Mulit-entry 2-day wristbands, 10 color bags, 2 meals, special stage access | $65 |
| 2 Admits | 2 General Admission tickets, 10 color bags, 2 meals | $48 |
| VIP for 1 | Multi-entry 2-day wristband, 5 color bags, 1 meal, special stage access | $35 |
| 2 Admits + Color Bags | 10 color bags, 2 multi-entry wristbands | $38 |
| 1 Admit + Meal + Color Bags | Multi-entry 2-day wristband, 5 color bags, 1 meal | $25 |
| 1 Admit + Color Bags | Multi-entry wristband, 5 color bags | $19 |
| 1 Admit + 1 Color Bag | Multi-entry wristband, 1 color bag | $10 |
| 1 Admit | Multi-entry wristband | $6.50 |
*If you purchase at the door, make sure you bring cash.
*For reference, Ashley and I purchased the 2 Admits + Color Bags package for $38 ($19/each). It was plenty of color for us to feel like we got the most of our experience.
(Prices above represent online ticket prices March 2020)
What is the Color Chalk?
*Tossing the chalk every hour (and often in between) is the highlight of the Festival of Colors. Even if you don’t toss your own chalk, chances are you’re going to be covered in it anyway.
*Color chalk at the Festival of Colors is 99% corn starch. If you’re allergic to corn, consult your doctor before attending.
*Don’t bring outside colors. They will be confiscated.
Parking at the Festival of Colors:
*Enter “Krishna Temple Spanish Fork” into your phone/GPS and you’ll start to see parking options within the last mile of your journey.
*Several houses close to the temple offer parking on their vast lots for $5-$10, depending on the family. Personally, I don’t have an issue paying a few extra bucks to park close…mainly for the walk back after being on your feet and partying. But, if you’d like to stick with the majority of Utahns, there’s free street parking available down the road.
What to Wear:
*White or light colors…trust me on this. You’ll want to see the rainbow of colors splashed all over your body.
*Closed-toe shoes that you don’t care too much about. Or buy some at the thrift store for a few bucks. I ended up tossing my socks and old shoes into the garbage.
PRO TIP – visit your local thrift store or raid the back of your closet for those free shirts you’ve been weirdly hanging onto.
Items to Bring:
*Sunglasses or goggles. If you’re bringing kids, bring swim goggles to prevent them from rubbing their eyes. And leave your contacts at home.
*Face mask or bandana – especially if you’re going to be in the thick of it all. People lovingly toss chalk at strangers, but sometimes they’ll toss it back at you after running past. Their aim isn’t the best, so protect yourself and your lungs.
*Cash. If you forget a bandana or face mask, you can purchase one at a stand, along with shirts, colors, and yummy snacks. They have ATMs on-site, but unless you want to spend more on the fees than your entrance fee…plan accordingly.
*Camera. I brought my GoPro in a water-proof case and never took my iPhone out of Ashley’s backpack (and on top of that I kept it in a Ziplock baggie). We saw people walking around with expensive Nikons and Canons, but I wouldn’t recommend it…unless you found some way to protect it. If you have a phone with a great camera that you’d like to use, either put it in a Ziplock baggie or have a waterproof, durable case.
*A free-spirited and fun-loving attitude. People walk around with “Free Hugs” shirts and signs. Fair warning.
Vehicle care post-Festival of Colors:
*Bring drop cloths or line your car seats with sheets.
*Stock your vehicle with baby wipes, bags for clothes, and water in case you need to wash your face.
*This year, the festival provided someone with a leaf-blower at the exit that would blow off any loose or excess chalk, but there’s always a chance that some hitchhikers will get through. Always expect it.
*It’s advisable to bring a spare change of clothes to put on over your colorful festival outfit. I put on my dad-sweats and turned my shirt inside-out (I forgot a spare).
What to expect at the Festival of Colors:
Full disclosure: I hardly had any expectations for my first Festival of Colors experience. I knew that a lot of BYU students attend the festival, given the proximity to Provo, I knew that navigating the small town of Spanish Fork was going to be an issue, and I knew that it was a long drive from home.
That’s it.
And honestly, sometimes it’s beneficial to go into a situation without expectations. Aside from what to wear, how to navigate parking, and what kinds of things I needed to bring, I was ready to experience everything that came my way.
My friend Ashley and I arrived at 10am, right as the festival was starting…because let’s face it: crowds tend to show up later in the day.
Upon reaching the front entrance to the Festival of Colors, you are immediately branded with a colored wristband and handed any pre-purchased packages of colored chalk.
(You can purchase tickets at the door for $5, but I purchased our tickets online with 5 packs of colored chalk at a discount and saved us some time and money. Plus, that meant we were ready at the get-go to start tossing chalk!)
As soon as you clear the entry tents, put on your masks and eye protection. Not 20 feet into the festival, Ashley and I were tagged with colors. We chose to wear white so we could see the contrasting colors…but it also made us targets.
The music will be pulsating through the speakers and even if it wasn’t your preferred selection, you can’t help but smile at the gobs of strangers that surrounded you. I’m a sucker for a good beat and found myself bobbing my head, arms, camera, everything to the rhythms of the dance moves.
As the time got closer to 11:00, I suddenly became very aware of how thick the crowd of people in front of the main stage had become. Every hour on the hour, everyone at the festival participates in a color toss. Whichever performer is on the stage leads a countdown to the hour, allowing those in attendance to get their chalk ready.
Ashley and I had been waiting for this moment: we’d seen the videos on YouTube, pictures on Facebook, and were anxious to participate for the first time.
The countdown began. The anticipation was palpable.
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
KRISHNA!!
Colors flew up in the air…and suddenly the sky turned a sort of yellowy-brown from the eclectic blend of chalk. But it didn’t matter…THIS. WAS. AWESOME!
Ashley and I shook our bags of colored chalk to the sky, swirled our arms around, rubbed it into the hair of the guys in front of us, hugged the girls behind us (well, I did), and tried hard not to breathe in the chalky particles (for obvious reasons, the festival requests that young children stick to the outside of the main cluster of tossers, or are on the shoulders of adults and wearing the proper protection).
The beat was alive and bumping, people all around were giving out free hugs to strangers, colors blending and the atmosphere was full of love and joy and happiness.
For a brief moment in time, all the festival-goers are focusing on the beauty of the moment…not school, work, family issues…the Festival of Colors is a celebration and allows everyone a chance to just…BE. What a beautiful experience it is to behold, even if you’re like me and have very little knowledge of Krishna.
Don’t want to be in the main crowd during the big chalk tosses?
Don’t worry – you can wander around the temple and climb a short flight of stairs for a bird’s-eye view of the whole festival. You’ll have an unobstructed view of the stage, the valley, mountains, and all the festival-goers.
But be warned – even if you’re not in the main crowd during the hourly chalk toss, you still might get chalked by someone next to you! I’ve found that it’s best to always keep your mouth and eyes covered, no matter where you are on the grounds.
After checking out the views of the valley from the top of the temple, Ashley and I stood at the top of the hill leading down to the main stage and just took it all in.
No matter what you’ve heard, Utah is a beautiful place full of natural wonder, cultural diversity, and love. Sure, these might have been deep thoughts at the moment, but they were followed by a few chalk fights with passers-by. It’s not uncommon to be walking or standing and have someone walk by and fling chalk at you in passing (just take care not to toss into someone’s face when reciprocating). And Ashley might have gotten into a throwing contest with some kids…
Before Ashley and I took off, we wanted to participate in one more giant chalk toss and also film one from the sidelines. Fortunately for us, the group on the stage right before the 12:00 toss encouraged the crowd and organized a few impromptu tosses that we were able to get in front of the stage for.
If you live in the area, or will be passing through the area the last weekend of March, I urge you to put the Festival of Colors on your itinerary. Welcome in spring with a few tosses of colorful chalk, free hugs, and the most love you could imagine.
Have you ever attended a Festival of Colors to celebrate Holi? What did you think?
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