photo by: Emma Delk

The Vol family of Moundsville participates in some friendly fire between each other at Saturday’s Festival of Colors at the Palace of Gold in Marshall County. This year was the last for the annual event.

LIMESTONE — Reds, blues, yellows and more flew through the air while calls of “Hare Krishna” rang out across the Palace of Gold’s lawn during the Festival of Colors.

Due to high costs and lower attendance, the festival held its last rendition on Saturday. Despite its ending, the Palace of Gold’s Communications Director Anuradha Imseng said that the turnout for this year was “amazing,” with a “steady stream” of attendees.

“It’s been wonderful today, with so many locals and beautiful faces coming out, and everyone seems really happy,” said Imseng. “I couldn’t have asked for more in terms of a turnout.”

The Vol family was one group of Moundsville locals who stopped by the festival to engage in some friendly fire between parents and kids. Father Michael Vol said he came to the very first rendition of the festival, and while “not much has changed” regarding the activities at the festival, he now has the “added fun” of participating in the event with his wife and four kids.

“It’s like nothing else, and my kids love throwing the colors,” said Vol. “It’s always a good time and a lot of fun with the kids now.”

Another Moundsville resident, Beth Baumrucker, brought her daughter and son to the festival, with the two participating in a little less friendly fire with one another.

“My favorite part has been hitting my brother with the colors,” said Baumrucker’s daughter, Jenna Ferguson.

Despite participating in the color throwing for “only 10 minutes,” Baumrucker said she and her kids were already covered “from head to toe.”

“The second you walk in the crowd, everyone starts throwing colors at you,” added Baumrucker. “We’ve only been here an hour, and we’re already a mess.”

While many attendees visit the festival for an afternoon of color-throwing fun, Imseng explained that the festival has significance as a “traditional Indian festival that celebrates spring.”

“After a long winter in India, this is what they have to celebrate spring,” said Imsend. “In India, it usually snows in the spring, so water and colors mix together and create a big mess.”

The “big mess” of colors that covers attendees by the end of the day is Imseng’s favorite part of the festival, with her adding that seeing everyone decorated in color is a “feeling that cannot be matched.”

“By the end of the festival, every single person is covered in color, and you can’t really make out their designation, whether they’re white, African American or Southeast Asian,” said Imseng. “Everyone has this one moment where they just look all the same, and for me, that’s just so precious.”

Others felt this “precious moment” at the festival, with attendee Gray Chaunmont saying it was “beautiful” to see the colors spread everywhere across the Palace of Gold.

“Usually, it’s the rudest thing in the world to throw something in someone’s face, but here it’s like, ‘Yeah, go ahead,'” said Chaunmont. “It’s a lot of fun and looks beautiful too.”

While it was his first time attending the Festival of Colors, Chaunmont added that he makes a trip up to the Palace of Gold from his home state of Maryland “at least once a year.”

“It’s so peaceful up here, everything is so tranquil, it’s beautiful up here,” said Chaunmont. “Even though the festival is a bit rowdier, it still has a harmony to it.”

He added that he was glad he made the trip up to catch the last festival, saying he found the event and Palace of Gold itself “different from anything else in West Virginia.”

“That’s what makes West Virginia kind of special, when you travel in the state, there are all kinds of weird things going on,” said Chaunmont. “Right now in Point Pleasant, there’s Mothman Festival, and here (near) Moundsville, you have this beautiful festival happening.”