Holi 2024

On Sunday, May 26, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., the Jardin d’Acclimatation will celebrate Holi, the Indian festival of colors. Come and join us for this exciting event. You will not be alone. It is a moment that the entire Indian community in Paris, and even further afield, awaits with the greatest anticipation. Not without a certain exuberance! Come and experience the joy of Holi, under the sun and in the open air! Participate, observe, learn, watch, be amazed, have fun, everything is possible, everything is unique, everything is fun and joyful, everything is a spectacle in this explosion of songs, dances and laughter. Thousands of you, lovers of the Indian subcontinent, its culture and civilisation, have joined us on the lawns of the most nirvanic and not the least Parisian of amusement parks during previous editions: we hope to see many more of you again this year! Holi is the only way to reach Delhi, Kolkata or Mumbai by taking the Parisian metro to Les Sablons station.

With family, as a couple or in larger groups, among friends, we are the place (and park...) to be. Like in Chandernagor, Mahé, Karikal, Yanaon or Pondicherry, cities that we know so well, like in Bangalore, Chennai or Chandigarh, this day of music, songs and dances, will be placed under the sign of happiness and communicative joy.

Set your watches to Indian time!

Krishna has blue skin and believes that Radha will not love him. Giving in to his despair, he confides in his mother who suggests that he colour Radha’s face.

Every year, to celebrate the end of winter and the arrival of spring, India replays and rejoices in this mythological story. It’s Holi, its burst of colors, its magic, and its mystery. Immerse yourself in this universe…

To the sound of the dhols, these famous Indian drums, a Maharajah framed by two golden and giant elephants, it was necessary, will welcome you, surrounded by an army of turbans and saris, from 10 o’clock at the main entrance of the Jardin d’Acclimatation, Porte des Sablons, the Indian Gate of this day, for the ritual of the bindi, the red dot marked in the middle of the forehead that adorns the faces of women, from Kerala to the Himalayas. The flag with three vertical stripes, orange, white and green, struck with the spinning wheel, symbol chosen by Mahatma Gandhi (the avenue that borders the park bears his name…) already flies in the sky of the Jardin d’Acclimatation. Here, without leaving the Bois de Boulogne, your journey to India begins.

To get you in the mood, instead of dipping yourself in the Ganges, you will first visit the Small Stage set up in front of the Flower Clock. Traditions, folklore, choreographies, await you for a first shock. You can attend magnificent concerts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., as well as a traditional brass band from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Take a walk to the Village des Artisans (Craftsperson Village). Set up on the lawns along the picnic areas, just south of the Enchanted River, it opens at 10 a.m. Everyone can learn calligraphy, dance, yoga and meditation, observe the impressive Kathakali makeup, cover themselves with henna patterns, admire the frescoes painted on the ground or discover Kalarippayatt, this martial art from southern India. About thirty stalls have slipped into this obviously disordered alignment. Along the alleys, you can choose tunics, jewelry and saris, breathe in the fragrances of patchouli, sandalwood or vanilla incense, not to mention admiring the Kathputli puppets of Rajasthan. Take the opportunity to learn about Indian culture in France thanks to our partner's, the GIO association, stand, or by chatting with Miss India France! … With Make Up For Ever, the makeup pros, you can transform your look in the style of Bollywood superstars…

A little further on, kiosks and food trucks, all while introducing you to Indian gastronomy (Be careful: it could be spicy!) from the Ocean to the Dekkan, will spread the scents of tandoori, tikka masala, korma, curry, saffron, peppers… in the air. Take the time to savor a lassi to refresh yourself. It’s like being in Passage Brady.

The important thing is not to win, but to participate (long live Paris 2024!), we have set up a podium dedicated to initiations to music and dance. It’s time to improvise a few steps. You loved to risk it during our previous Holi editions. We saw you risk it last year. Let's start over! Be careful, India is also a country of rites and repetitions. You will have to show application and synchronisation in your movements. But, don’t worry, we have summoned the best masters to guide you. Pedagogy and benevolence will be there.

An afternoon like in Delhi

From noon to 6 p.m., under the High Patronage of the Ambassador of India to Paris, His Excellency Jawed Ashraf, dozens of artists and dancers will make their way to the Big Stage set up between the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Miroir Vert, the large lawn that lies just in front of it, for fabulous shows: Bharata natyam dances in honor of Ganesh, dances from Bengal, Pondicherry or even Gujarat to meet the diversity of India, Bollywood dances inspired by the greatest invariably sentimental productions, Bhangra songs and dances, dances from Rajasthan including the impressive kalbeliya dance, also called “Snake Dance”…

… The programme is abundant. There will be something for everyone. Last stop before your excursion to the Taj Mahal.

Traditional Parade in the Jardin

Don’t miss, at 3 p.m., the Grande Parade which will leave from the Small Stage (in front of the Floral Clock!) and will cross the entire park passing by the Ride Village, the Paddling Pool, the Fondation Louis Vuitton, then the Bandstand. Prepare to attend a splendid parade where you can see the chariot of Radja and Rani, the royal couple of legends who watch over this great Holi festival, surrounded by guards and a crowd of dancers, musicians, riders and flag bearers! Let yourself be carried away by the joy of the crowd gathered around this unique festival.

Colour galore

Ready to live an incredible moment? The one not to be missed. It’s the magical moment, the long-awaited moment, the explosion, the delight, and the clamor. Arm yourself with a bag of Holi powder (you can buy it from dedicated stands on the Miroir Vert near the Stage) and come participate in the grand release of colours, at 4 p.m. in front of the Big Stage by the Miroir Vert. It’s huge. It’s giant. It’s crazy. After a gripping countdown, chanted, shouted, by thousands of people, in an instant, hundreds of kilos of blue, yellow, pink, purple, and green powders will fly into the sky of the Bois de Boulogne to form an incredible rainbow coloured cloud and… land back down on you. A unique and delightful experience, an appointment that some people wait for all year, sensations that you have never experienced! Not to be missed under any circumstances.

So, meet us at the Jardin d’Acclimatation (yes, the one with 18 hectares of greenery, 450 animals and birds, the Guignol - a well-known French puppet - theater, the 42 attractions…) for this beautiful high-colour festival! One last piece of advice, come dressed all in white. It’s the rule. Connoisseurs naturally know it. Or else in saris and tunics, it will be very fashionable on May 26 in our park…