Leeds Holi Festival 2023

Leeds Holi Festival 2023

 
The morning of Saturday 11th March was an exciting one, although my mind was racing all morning with worries... Would Ada behave for Liam? (It was the first time he'd be looking after her during the day on his own and his plans had fallen through due to the snow, so it was just going to be the 2 of them and she had just levelled up to 'terrible 2s' status!)
 
I was thinking there'd still be snow in Leeds and so layered up with three pairs of socks, leggings under jeans, the works! I had an overwhelming feeling that people weren't going to turn up because of the weather! Well, in true English Weather fashion, it was a stark difference from the day before...
 
A frosty friend❄️
 
I was picked up at 09:30 from the main road near my house, as my road was still impassable for cars due to black ice! We set off on our adventure to Leeds to go to the Beaver Works. The sun was shining down on us, melting all of the snow! It was starting to feel like it was going to be a wonderful day🌞
 
After a quick pit stop at McDonald's for coffee and hash browns (my fave), we were on to the M62 and en route to Leeds Holi Festival!
 
Essential ☕
 
We arrived at the event around 10am and the energy was already high. The Beaver Works staff were busy making sure the venue was set for the 2500 attendees that would soon be coming through the gates. It was really bizarre being behind the scenes of an event like this, I'd only been to Beaver Works once in the past and it was dark, loud and very busy! A completely different feeling being there during the day.
 
Once we had got our bearings and familiarised ourselves with the area, we quickly set to work unloading the van to move everything to our stall. 
 
The stall was situated in a small through-room at the top of a set of stairs, leading into a big area full of old arcade machines and a yellow submarine! We had to remove the doors from the room to make sure our customers could reach us! Boxes upon boxes of colour powder,sunglasses, floral leis, whistles, headbands and drawstring bags filled the small room.
 
Chloe and I were both convinced we'd brought too much stock, it really felt like we'd overestimated how much we would sell. How wrong we were 😂😂
 
Our first customers
 

 When the gates opened at 12:30, it didn't take long for a sea of excited faces to flood the venue. Everyone who bought a ticket received 2 complimentary bags of colour powder, but that didn't stop them from buying plenty more from our stall! We were so busy for the full day, right up until closing, people were going crazy for our vibrant colour powders!

 

 The sound of music and laughter filled the air, and colour clouds were drifting through the sky. Also, the smells... Oh my goodness the gorgeous aroma of Indian street food was just irresistible. When we finally got a break, Nigel very kindly offered to get a selection of goodies to share. We had chicken curry and a soft bread type wrap filled with spiced paneer and vegetable. It was the most delicious food ever and I've eaten at a LOT of Indian restaurants! Definitely check out Punjabi Heaven in Leeds if you get the chance, out of this world food! 

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Holi Celebrations in full swing 

Everyone was so happy, it felt like winter was really over and spring was finally here! 

Throughout the event, I was constantly inspired by the sense of community and togetherness that permeated the air. People were dancing and laughing, throwing colour powder at one another and enjoying the music. It was a truly magical experience and I felt so grateful to be a part of it.

 


Nigel, our MD, modelling the goods

The day wouldn't have been possible without Nigel! As much as he can drive Chloe and I up the wall, he really is brilliant and knows what he's doing! I'm very grateful for such a fun boss!
 
Enjoying a little break from the party
 

Leeds Holi Festival was a really inclusive day where everyone was made to feel welcome. Holi Festival, also known as the Festival of Colours, is a joyous celebration of peace, love, happiness, equality and the triumph of good over evil through live music, food and bright colours. 

 


The gang celebrate Holi

 Another thing that I loved about the day was spending time with my colleagues out of the usual work setting. It was a great opportunity to celebrate our successes and discuss how we are going to make 2023 our best year yet! I'm so grateful for such an amazing team, you guys are the best <3

 


It's a vibe

When we had the opportunity, Chloe and I were keen to get into the mix! As you can see, we fully immersed ourselves and got covered in colours. The event was so busy, at times it was difficult to navigate through the crowds, but it was such a great experience and we all really enjoyed the day! The highlight of the day for me, was seeing Eshaan (the organiser of Leeds Holi Festival), letting off our colour fountains! They offer such an amazing visual impact, it really gets the party going!

 
We'd love to get out and about to more events, to see our fabulous colour powders in different settings. If you think your event would make a good feature for our blogs, get in touch hello@ministryofcolours.com or give us a call on 0330 321 3996!
 
Thanks for reading :)
Abi  xo