The tri-state areas biggest color festival The Surati Holi Hai Walk and Color Festival is happening in Jersey City and in Hoboken on Saturday June 18th, 2022. Get ready for a fun end of Spring day with award-winning nonprofit Surati For Performing Arts based here in Jersey City as they present the kick-off celebrations and Hudson River Color Walk along the waterfront in Jersey City and Holi Hai - Festival of Colors in Hoboken.
Holi is a holiday that celebrates spring, love, as well as ultimately standing for good triumphing over evil. The brainchild of acclaimed visionary artist, producer, choreographer, dancer and Artistic Director of Surati Rimli Roy, who began this festival to share with communities in the U.S the spirit and joy of this very popular festival from India, she produced the first successful Holi festival on the East coast back in 2008 in Jersey City and was the first to ever bring an Indian festival to Exchange Place in 2014. The organization has produced Holi Hai for the past 13 years (not including 2020) and is proud to bring back the annual Holi Hai Festival, the largest Holi celebration in the Tri-State which turns the whole atmosphere into a colorful playground of celebration and fun.
Hailing from the country of India, Holi is, perhaps, India’s most popular festival where participants throw color powder at each other in a celebration of the seasons, brotherhood and unity. This family fun event is great for everyone of all ages, nationalities, and gender identities. Holi Hai’s official slogan is, “When everyone is colorful, no one is different!” Having attracted over 10,000+ people every year from various states and other countries this festival is one to attend.
At this year’s Holi Hai Festival they are excited to announce a special surprise performance by Bollywood artists from Mumbai, India. Additional performances will be by not only the Surati team of dancers, musicians and students but also by African, South American and Indian performers and drummers. Aztec dance group Kalpuli Kamaxtle Xiucoatl, Belly dancing by Janelle Issis & dancers and Bihu Folk Dance from Assam by Moushumi Phukan will grace the stage. The Surati team will present Indian classical, folk, fusion and Bollywood performances of dance and music. Live music will include Indian classical and Bollywood music, jazz saxophone by Jersey City’s Zach Herchen (Con Vivo), Sitar by Shiv who will also present a fusion together, percussions by Ngor and Lautaro. Surati dancers include Shayna Malhotra, Laxmi Gusain, Alisha Desai, Tanya Chauhan, Bineet Kaur, Rimli Roy and others. Surati student performers include Aratrika Sarkar, Rijah Banerjee, Aanya Mukherjee, Elizabeth Johnson, Roma Das, Isha Tripathy and Ahana Dalmia.
Kicking off in Jersey City, NJ (which has been acclaimed by CNN as “the country’s most vibrant Indian neighborhood) with performances, color countdowns and a waterfront walk with stunning views of the Manhattan skyline,, the festival will continue all day in Hoboken as a true two-city partnership.” Joining the festivities is none other than the Mayor of Hoboken, Ravi Bhalla who will welcome and greet the Color Walkers as they enter the Hoboken waterfront from Jersey City at the train terminal. Mayor Bhalla will walk participants down to Pier A Park In Hoboken to join the rest of the festivities. Attendees of the event will be welcomed to different performances, workshops, and more before they embark on a journey down the waterfront throwing colored powder on each other as a group of drummers and dancers lead the group.
After arriving at Pier A park in Hoboken the celebrations kick into full swing with different food vendors as well as a bar, jewelry and clothing vendors, more performances, a DJ and live music. You will also catch our sponsor booths there.
The event starts at 9:00am in Jersey City, City Hall where attendees can register for the Color Walk, partake in interactive workshops and watch performances, followed by the Riverfront Color Walk which begins around 11:00am with drummers, colors and dancing. The festival continues at Pier A Park in Hoboken from 12:00pm - 8:00pm.
For more information and to purchase tickets, rides, beverages, and color packets, in advance, visit SuratiHoliHai.org.
Holi Hai is supported by New Jersey Travel and Tourism, Hudson County Travel and Tourism, Horizon Blue Cross-Blue Shield of NJ, ICICI Bank Money 2 India, the City of Jersey City, the City of Hoboken, Jersey City Cultural Affairs and New Jersey City University.
Surati For Performing Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that educates and enriches communities through dance, music, and theater rooted in Indian art, themes and culture. Based in Jersey City, New Jersey, Surati brings to the communities of the tri-state area and beyond a range of traditional and contemporary dance theater and original staged productions which the company has also extensively toured with. Surati also produces several cultural festivals throughout the year.
The Surati team led by Founder and Artistic Director Rimli Roy have performed at the United Nations, The Lincoln Center NY, The Kennedy Center (DC), Reichhold Center at the U.S Virgin Islands and the Alaska PAC (AK) to name a few. Surati and Ms Roy’s work has been featured on CNN, Vogue, NY Daily News, Outlook India amongst others.
