Everyone is welcome at SIU’s Holi celebration. (SIU Carbondale photo)
March 19, 2026
SIU welcomes everyone to the March 25 Holi celebration
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University Carbondale will be celebrating Holi, India’s traditional Hindu spring festival, on Wednesday, March 25 — and everyone is welcome to attend. The celebration is set for 2 p.m. on the lawn of Morris Library.
“The Holi celebration offers a wonderful opportunity for the community to gather and share a special, fun cultural celebration,” said Renada Greer, executive director of the Student Multicultural Resource Center. “Although the festival’s origin is with the Hindus, it is an inclusive event with unity as its theme. SIU’s Indian Student Association helps organize this festival of colors and we encourage everyone to come support our students, faculty and staff from India.”
Colorful gathering
The festival begins in the library near the Abraham Lincoln bust. Participants are invited to stop by the table for refreshments, music and to receive informational handouts and brochures about the celebration which takes place annually in India. Color powder will be handed out as well.
Then, the event moves to the library lawn where all participants will be able to get packets of various brightly colored powders. When the signal sounds, everyone will throw the powders into the air. The wind will mix the myriad hues as they fall upon the crowd in a symbolic representation of love, unity, inclusion and happiness.
Organizers remind those planning to attend that brightly colored powder will get on their clothes and whatever they are carrying. They should dress accordingly.
The Student Multicultural Resource Center, the Vice Chancellor for Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and SIU’s Indian Student Association are sponsoring the Holi celebration.