It’s no longer a rumour…the world’s most colourful festival is confirmed to splatter Cape Town with a rainbow of paint on Saturday, 2 March 2013, and  Johannesburg on Saturday, 6th April 2013. Durban – your time is coming too, but dates are yet to be confirmed. Brought to you by award-winning agency Seed Experiences, the company behind Rocking the Daisies, the HOLI ONE event will see thousands of South Africans take to the streets dressed in white to play canvas to clouds of brightly coloured powder paint and share in the unadulterated joy of music and dance.

Inspired by the original Hindu Holi festival (a “festival of colour” that celebrates the death of Hiranyakashipu, King of Demons, and marks the beginning of spring), this open air electronic music paint fest is an equally vibrant, fun, and rowdy affair. HOLI ONE is not a religious event and does not aim to promote any religious aspects or groups. Instead the festival is about promoting the ideas of togetherness and the colour of everyday life during a day of entertainment and exhilaration. The idea for the party started in Germany in July 2012 and its obvious popularity has already taken it to America and Singapore; and soon it will be heading to SA shores.

What to expect…

Every hour on the hour, crowds of partygoers countdown to a mass launch of colourful bags of powder into the air, covering one another in brilliant shades of paint. The festival has a line-up that features some of the best DJs in the country as well as some of the freshest and most impressive new music talent. So be prepared to be blasted with psychedelica and heavy electronica beats along with those bags of paint.

If you’re concerned about the festival’s effect on the environment or your health, the powder used at HOLI ONE is made from corn flour and food colouring, making it completely safe, non-toxic, water soluble, and environmentally friendly. However, people with allergies, asthma, or contact lenses should use mouth and/or eye protection. Please note that no other powder may be used at the festival.

Details…

The Cape Town HOLI ONE Festival will be held at the Grand Parade. It is scheduled to run from 12pm – 10pm, with the likelihood of an after party happening at a nearby club. No under 18s will be admitted into the event (yes, alcohol will be on sale!). For more info, like the Cape Town HOLI ONE Colour Festival Facebook page, follow them on Twitter, or visit the website.

Tickets are also available from Webtickets and cost R170 for the limited early bird special, R190 for general admission, and R290 including 5 colours of powder. Gate Price excluding powder: R250 at the entrance of the festival. Powder will also be sold separately at the event for R20/100g. Five different colours are available to choose from. There are no VIP tickets as HOLI ONE promotes the concept “We are all one”.

Cape Town tickets are on sale now at the following outlets:

  1. Gypsy stores throughout the Cape Peninsula:
  • Gypsy Kalk Bay – Kalk Bay Main Road. Tel:  021 788 6802
  • Gypsy Long Street – 285A Long Street. Tel:  021 424 2994
  • Gypsy Stellenbosch – 147 Dorp Street. Tel:  021 886 7157
  • Gypsy/Zebra Durbanville – Corner of Wellington Road & Chenoweth Street. Tel: 021 976 2604
  1. The Old Biscuit Mill Neighbourhood Goods Market (Saturdays only) – 373 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town
  2. Take & Bake -16 Main Road, Sea Point. Tel: 021 801 4444

Ticket sales for Durban and Johannesburg will be announced soon.

UPDATE: The Johannesburg Festival will take place on 6th April 2013 at Emmarentia Dam, from 12 – 8pm.

Images courtesy of HOLI ONE