CultureFest! brings cultural festivities from across the globe into your home with a full month of virtual tours, discussions, crafts, and more for youth and adults. Join local guides and Museum experts as we illuminate diverse traditions and celebrate our shared humanity.
Celebrate Holi all month long with CultureFest! Dive into the vibrant stories, music, and traditions behind the famous “festival of colors” with virtual events and activities for all.
Holi is an ancient Hindu celebration to welcome the blossoming of spring and the new harvest. This popular holiday commemorates thrilling legends of Krishna, Vishnu, and other gods that symbolize love and the triumph of good over evil. Known for its playful festivals where revelers cover one another from head to toe in a rainbow of bright pigments, Holi is also a time to visit loved ones, right past wrongs, and forgive and forget. Typically falling in March, Holi begins with a bonfire ritual on the evening of the first full moon day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month of Phalguna. This kicks off two days of festivities, including colorful parades accompanied by folk songs, drums, and dances.
Learn about Holi and its enduring traditions with virtual events and guided at-home activities this March at the Penn Museum. Watch an artist live-illustrate the mythology of Holi, see Philadelphia’s own world-class classical Indian dancers, get hands-on with Holi-inspired crafts, and more. There’s an activity for every age!
This celebration is one of five in our CultureFest! series.
Live Program Lineup
Mar
9
At-Home Anthro LIVE
Holi: A Carnival of Colors
Tuesday | March 9 | 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm ET
Mar
16
At-Home Anthro LIVE
Mughal Miniature Painting
Tuesday | March 16 | 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm ET
Mar
17
World Wonders
Holi, Triumph, and Colors
Wednesday | March 17 | 4:00 pm - 4:45 pm ET
Mar
18
Holi
The Mythology Brought to Life
Thursday | March 18 | 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET
Mar
23
At-Home Anthro LIVE
Think Like an Archaeologist!
Tuesday | March 23 | 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm ET
Mar
24
Virtual Archaeological Adventures
See More of South Asia
Wednesday | March 24 | 10:00 am - 1:00 pm ET
Mar
29
Holi Celebration with Three Aksha
Monday | March 29 | 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm ET
Apr
21
World Wonders
Exploring Mesoamerican Frescoes
Wednesday | April 21 | 4:00 pm - 4:45 pm ET
Explore on Your Own Time
Arts & Crafts
Enjoy Holi-inspired activities perfect for all ages with! Keep it simple with printable coloring sheets, or get crafty with DIY projects. Share your family’s completed projects by tagging @PennMuseum on our Facebook or Instagram. And find even more activity ideas, recipes, and crafts on our Pinterest.
Create your own Colorful Handprint Holi Cards at home using easy-to-follow instructions.
Explore and learn more about Holi with these kid-friendly crafts, books, and songs.
Thank You To Our Sponsors
2020-2021 CultureFest! Series
| October 2020 Día de los Muertos |
January 2021 Lunar New Year |
February 2021 Fêtes des Masques |
March 2021 Holi |
April 2021 Indigenous Peoples of the Americas Celebration |
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