45 THE QUEENS COURIER • APRIL 1, 2022 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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Phagwah Parade makes a colorful comeback
BY DEAN MOSES
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
Queens showed its true colors Sunday.
Th e Phagwah Parade returned on March
27 aft er a long, two-year hiatus amidst the
COVID-19 pandemic. Known as the festival
of colors, the traditional march was traded in
for a stationary, concert-esque atmosphere on
Liberty Avenue and Leff erts Boulevard; however,
this did not dampen spirits.
Hundreds from all over the fi ve boroughs
turned out to commemorate Holi, the Hindu
spring festival celebrated throughout North
India on the full-moon day of Phalguna. Th e
celebration represents the arrival of spring and
the triumph of good over evil.
On this day, revelers shower one another in
multicolored liquid and power, with each shade
carrying a meaning.
From the young to the old, laughter became
mixed with a haze of dye that rained down
over the crowd as participants highlighted
each other in a rainbow. Tossing the colors to
Hindu music, the spectrum of powder became
so dense at certain points the crowd could
barely see a foot ahead of them.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards
congratulated his constituents for the high number
of vaccinations and promised that next year
the parade would return properly. Mayor Adams
also attended the celebration, although noticeably
attempted to dodge any powder that came his way.
“Th is is such an important day. Phagwah
is the Festival of Colors, and it shows the
colors and diversity of our city and what this
community means to us,” Adams said. “Th is
is a community that has contributed so much
and now this is your moment to say that you are
very much part of New York. We look forward
to being your partners.
You helped
me become the
mayor, and I’m
gonna help
you become
the strong
c o m -
mun i t y
that you
desire to
become.”
Photos by Dean Moses
The Phagwah Parade returned to South Richmond Hill after a two-year hiatus.
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