In the summer of 2012 the first official European Holi Festival was organised in Berlin. The colourful festival, which is originally from India, turned out to be a great success. In the years after a hype started and you were able to visit a Holi Festival in Berlin almost every weekend. Now in 2024 the hype has settled down quite a bit but you are still able to visit a Holi Festival in Berlin if you want.
The roots of the festival of colours
The Holi Festival was originally born in the north of India. Every year, when the winter comes to an end, the Indian people celebrate the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil. One of the central aspects of the Holi Festival is the coloured powder called Gulal. During the festival everybody is allowed to throw Gulal at each other and this creates a colourful phenomenon. Differences in age, gender, religion or status do not count during this festival: Everybody is equal during the Holi Festival.
Holi Festivals in 2024
As mentioned, the big hype around the Holi Festival is clearly behind us. Back then many different companies were organising color-festivals, now only a few are left. The biggest one which is left is called Holi Festival of Colours. Since 2012 they have been organising hundreds of Holi Festivals all over the world. The good news is: In 2024 they will organise colour-festivals in at least 13 German cities. Obviously the Holi Festival in Berlin is one of them and is expected to be one of the highlights.
Holi Festival of Colours Berlin 2024
If you want to visit a Holi Festival Berlin in 2024, you better block the weekend of the 31st of August. This is where you can visit Berlin and the Holi Festival of Colours. Unfortunately, it seems that this is going to be the only Holi Festivals in Berlin in the summer of 2024. There will be DJs like Niels van Gogh, Mike Candys and 2 Elements. The music will not be like the techno clubs in Berlin but more party-music and EDM.
Tips for a great Holi Festival 2024
Obviously, the Holi Festival is a bit different from the usual German dance-festival. The last couple of years I went to several Holi Festivals in Berlin and therefore I can give you some tips to make sure your festival will rock.
- Wear white clothing only. In end of the Holi Festival everyone will be like a unique painting
- Obviously wearing your newest set of clothes does not make much sense. The coloured pulver can be washed out of your clothes but still: You will be covered in colours in no-time anyway.
- Do not drink your precious drinks in the middle of a crowd, especially not when there is going to be a countdown. Beer and pulver is not a great combination (see photo below).
- Take a disposable camera. It will not be a problem if it gets dirty or lost and you will laugh about the photos later.
- There will be a countdown every hour: Make sure you will keep some of your powder for these moments.
- Prepare for coming home before you leave. You might be a bit drunk and you are definitely going to be dirty. So maybe make sure there is a bag where you can put your used clothes in or put a big bucket outside or whatever.
The Holi Festival – Frequently Asked Questions
As a last treat we have listed some questions you might have when you are planning to visit a Holi Festival in Berlin. Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments.
Tickets for the Holi Festival of Colors in Berlin in 2022 can be bought for €21.34 each. If you are planning to go with a group of at least 5 people you can get a group-ticket and get one ticket for free.
The special color powder (a.k.a. Gulal) that will be used during the Holi Festivals can be purchased in a combi-ticket or during the Holi Festival. For 100 grams you pay 2.50 €. Unfortunately, it is not allowed to bring your own powder.
The Holi Festival 2024 in Berlin will start at 12.00 and the last countdown will be at 21.50. Therefore it’s best to visit early. Afterwards you can always visit clubs like Sisyphos, About:Blank or Watergate.
Summary
All in all we can conclude that 2024 will not be as colourful as the years between 2013 and 2016. Still it’s good to know that if you still want to visit a Holi Festival, you can visit one in August. Below you can find the most important details about the Holi Festival in Berlin:
Name: Holi Festival of Colours Berlin
Date: 31 Augustus 2024
Opening Hours: 12.00 – 22.00
Price: 16-26€
Website: www.holifestival.com
