By Kris McDowell
HOLI – Portland Color Festival is one of two recipients of a Prosper Portland 2025 Scale Up Grant in the most recent grant cycle. The grant program is a partnership between the Portland Events and Film Office at Prosper Portland and Travel Portland that provides funding and technical assistance for local Portland events that are positioned to grow and attract attendance beyond the Portland metro region.
HOLI will take place March 22 and 23, 2025, celebrating the coming of Spring. It is one of India’s biggest festivals and takes place under different names within the South Asian diaspora across the globe. In Portland, the festival is produced by Bollywood Dreams Entertainment, a SE Portland company, and produced by Prashant Kakad.
Kakad has been producing HOLI in Portland since 2011. He came to the US from Mumbai for graduate school and says, “After a brutal first winter in Ithaca [NY], one spring day I discovered Holi being played at the courtyard of the law school. That afternoon for the first time I felt like I had teleported to India! I also noticed how everyone, South Asian or not, were thoroughly enjoying the festivities. I started HOLI in Portland with a mission to hold space for others to experience those feelings well.”
Attendees dress in white and cover each other in colorful powder during the multi-day festival, connecting and experiencing the culture of the South Asia community in a joyful and inclusive way. As with previous years’ festivals, expect a variety of vendors and performers showcasing local goods and talents with a strong focus on South Asian culture sharing. Kakad hasn’t nailed down the location of the festival just yet, but a strong possibility is Pioneer Courthouse Square.
Scale Up Grant award packages are comprehensive programs consisting of up to $25.000 in direct financial support, plus custom technical, marketing, administrative and logistical assistance provided by Travel Portland and Prosper Portland. They are intended to advance the city’s economic and cultural revitalization, with an emphasis on supporting areas of Portland that have experienced a significant impact from COVID, including high losses in a number of businesses and employment, high increase in office vacancies and significant change in visitor and employee foot traffic. Packages are customized for each recipient depending on needs requested during the application process. Awardees can also connect with other grant recipients as part of a cohort model.
HOLI’s funds will be used for two very important things, said Kakad. It will allow them to host the festival at a central location (such as Pioneer Courthouse Square) and “crucially, make it totally FREE for the community to attend the festival.”
With both spring and the festival months away, event details are continuing to be determined. As March approaches, visit the organization’s website, dreamsperfected.com, and their Instagram page @jaiho.portland for up to date information. Then get ready to welcome spring in a colorful, festive atmosphere.