Annual Parade Brings Colorful Display To Queens
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
The annual Phagwah parade marched through the streets of Queens Sunday, leaving behind a colorful reminder that spring is just around the corner.
The parade, known as the festival of colors, is a Hindu cultural celebration where participants walk around with their face colored with special dye to represent the colors of spring.
The celebration also commemorates the triumph of good over evil, and recognizes unity among different races.
"The inner meaning is the integration of people with various backgrounds different races, we can all live together in harmony and we can be as beautiful as we look with all this colors splashed on us," said Parade Grand Marshall Chunelall Larine.
"It means New Years. The festival of lights. Triumph of good over evil. 'how much fun is it?' Much fun," said one participant.
This is the 20th year the parade has taken place in Queens.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg joined the celebration as one of the grand marshals.
Organizers say about 20,000 people took part in the day's colorful festivities.