The Festival of Colors is scheduled for Sept. 14 at the Palace of Gold in Marshall County. (Photo Provided)

NEW VRINDABAN — The Festival of Colors is returning to Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold following a one-year hiatus.

The festival is slated from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Palace of Gold, 3759 McCreary’s Ridge Road, Moundsville. After announcing in 2023 that year’s edition would be the last, the Palace of Gold recently announced the event’s return.

The festival includes color throwing, music, dancing and food. Participation is free, although people are asked to register at newvrindaban.com/events-1/festival-of-colors-5.

Bana Bhatta Mayshark, event organizer, said the festival is a replica of a festival held in India. It celebrates new beginnings and is known as a spring festival though held in September.

“It represents a transformation from a winter of ignorance to a spring or spiritual awakenings,” he said. “It’s very joyous. We have a band playing. … We have different food booths, face painting. When people come in they are given bags of color that are non-toxic. The colors are thrown every couple hours into the air and some throw colors at each other.”

Mayshark said by the end of the festival most people are covered with a variety of colors.

“It’s fun and it promotes the basic principles of our spiritual organization, spreading the love of God. We practice yoga and meditation. It’s a joyous celebration of life,” he said.

Mayshark said the festival was paused for a year because the Palace of Gold got busy with other festivals, but they plan to keep it going.

“It’s a real adventure. Everyone goes away with fond memories and feeling really good,” he said. “It’s a community builder. The local people like it and we plan to keep doing it every year now.”