Color, Culture, and Community Shine at the 2026 San Jose Holi Fest

By Staff Writers Amy Han & Saesha Prabhakar

Bursts of pink, yellow, orange, blue, and red powder filled the air as music pulsed through the speakers, creating a colorful and lively scene at 180 Woz Way in San Jose. On March 7, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., the Association of Indo Americans hosted its annual Holi Fest, bringing together the Bay Area community to celebrate the festival and its cultural traditions.

Holi, the Festival of Colors, traces its roots back to ancient Hindu traditions that symbolize the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. This holiday is known for the throwing of colorful gulal powders, dancing, Bollywood music, and traditional foods like gujiya —- a sweet fried dumpling stuffed with dried fruits and thickened milk. 

By 10:45 a.m., a large crowd had already formed outside the festival entrance, many dressed in white and already holding packets of gulal and water guns as they eagerly waited for the gates to open. Once inside, attendees were greeted with festival grounds lined with an array of tents and vendor booths selling ice cream, chaat, traditional Indian and Pakistani jewelry, water guns, and bubbles. These booths helped showcase the cultural traditions associated with Holi, allowing visitors to navigate South Asian foods and jewelry. “It’s a very good crowd [and] we always love to serve them, so that’s why we are here” jewelry Vendor Rushali Joshi said. 

At the center of the festival stood a large stage with a bright banner reading “Holi Fest,” drawing the crowd toward the heart of the celebration. Upbeat music blasted through speakers, and attendees gathered in front of the stage, clutching packets of gulal in anticipation. Within moments, the first handfuls of powder were tossed, prompting colorful plumes that flew into the air before settling into the crowd’s shoulders and hair. With each beat of the music, more color followed. Soon, the air was thick with swirling pigment and the ringing laughter of the crowd. White clothing became streaked with splashes of every shade of the rainbow, as friends, family, and strangers chased each other through the plaza, tossing gulal and spraying water guns for hours under the warm afternoon sun. 

“It really takes the image India has as a friendly nation,” Holi Fest Co-Organizer Prasad Mangino said.

“When people are very friendly to all the communities and we open-heartedly welcome all of them to celebrate any event with us, these events really do a good job to promote our cause.” 

For many attendees, the festival served as a way to celebrate tradition and spend time with family and friends. Others attended to immerse themselves in a cultural celebration they had never experienced before, allowing them to learn about new traditions and develop a greater appreciation for the diversity within their community. For attendees like Mathew, who is a Pakistani-Christian, this Holi celebration provided a first-time opportunity to participate in a Hindu holiday. “Such celebrations are very important, though they are religious events … they bring harmony and happiness and joy,” he said.