Holi 2026

When Is Holi in 2026?

In 2026, Holi falls on March 3. The observance lasts 2 days (Holika Dahan + Rangwali Holi). Because Holi follows a Full moon (Purnima) of the Phalguna month (Hindu lunar calendar); Holika Dahan the night before, Rangwali Holi the next day, the exact Gregorian date shifts each year. Holika Dahan (the bonfire night) and Rangwali Holi (color play) fall on consecutive Gregorian dates, but sources differ on which is reported as 'the date of Holi' — some calendars cite the Purnima (bonfire night), others the following day. In Vrindavan/Mathura, Lathmar Holi extends over a week. The 2030 date is approximate due to an intercalary (adhika) month in the Hindu calendar that year. Since Holi's date changes from year to year, here are the dates for the next five years so you can plan ahead: Year Date 2026 March 3 2027 March 22 2028 March 11 2029 March 1 2030 March 19

What Time Does Holi Start in Your Time Zone?

Holi falls on the full moon (Purnima) of the Hindu month of Phalguna, which corresponds to late February or March in the Gregorian calendar. In 2026, Holi will be celebrated on March 4. Because the Hindu calendar is lunisolar, the date stays within a roughly two-week window each year, unlike strictly lunar holidays that drift through the seasons. The Holika Dahan bonfire is lit on the night of the full moon, with the precise timing determined by Hindu astrological tables (the muhurat). The most auspicious window varies by city and longitude. In 2026, the Holika Dahan muhurat in major Indian cities falls in the evening of March 3. Diaspora communities in the Americas and Europe often celebrate Holi on the nearest weekend rather than the exact astronomical date, since the festival is so participatory and outdoor-oriented. The table below shows the observance date for Holi in major time zones around the world: Location Observance Date Time Zone New York, USA March 3 EST/EDT (UTC-5/-4) London, UK March 3 GMT/BST (UTC+0/+1) New Delhi, India March 3 IST (UTC+5:30) Sydney, Australia March 3 AEST/AEDT (UTC+10/+11) Dubai, UAE March 3 GST (UTC+4)

The Story Behind Holi

Holi — the Hindu festival of colors — is one of the most visually spectacular religious festivals in the world. Held on the full moon of the Hindu month of Phalguna (February-March), Holi marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring. The festival is famous for its tradition of throwing colored powder (gulal) and water at friends, neighbors, and complete strangers, turning streets and parks into kaleidoscopes of pink, yellow, green, blue, and red. Holi draws on multiple mythological stories. The most famous is the tale of Prahlad and Holika. Prahlad was a devoted follower of the god Vishnu, but his father, the demon king Hiranyakashipu, demanded to be worshipped as a god himself. When Prahlad refused, Hiranyakashipu conspired with his sister Holika — who had a magical cloak that made her immune to fire — to burn Prahlad alive. As the fire was lit, the cloak flew from Holika to Prahlad, and Holika burned to death while Prahlad emerged unharmed. The night before Holi, bonfires are lit across India to symbolize Holika's destruction — a ritual called Holika Dahan. A second story links Holi to the divine love between Krishna and Radha. The young Krishna, who had dark blue skin, was jealous of Radha's fair complexion. His mother Yashoda playfully suggested he smear colored powder on Radha's face so they would look the same. From that playful act came the tradition of throwing colors — a celebration of love that erases differences of caste, color, and class for one day a year. Holi is sometimes called the "festival of love" for this reason.

How Holi Is Celebrated

Holi is celebrated over two days. The first night is Holika Dahan, when communities gather around large bonfires to sing, dance, and burn effigies of Holika. The ritual symbolizes the triumph of devotion over arrogance and good over evil. People walk around the fire, offer coconuts and other foods into the flames, and take burning embers home to kindle their own hearth fires — a purification gesture for the new season. The second day — Rangwali Holi or Dhulandi — is the famous color festival. From morning until late afternoon, people of all ages take to the streets armed with bags of colored powder, water balloons, pichkaris (large syringe-like water guns), and buckets of colored water. The rules of ordinary society are suspended: strangers drench each other, children chase adults, and the usual social hierarchies of age, gender, and caste briefly dissolve in a riot of color. Special Holi songs — chaupais and phaags — are sung, especially in the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh, where Krishna's story is set. Food and drink are essential to Holi, and the most iconic element is thandai — a chilled milk drink flavored with almonds, fennel, rose petals, and (in some adult versions) bhang, a paste made from cannabis leaves. Gujiya, a sweet fried dumpling filled with khoya and dried fruits, is the festival's signature food. Other Holi treats include mathri (savory crackers), papri chaat, and dahi bhalla. In the Braj region — Mathura, Vrindavan, Barsana — Holi extends for over a week, with each town celebrating on a different day. The Lathmar Holi of Barsana, where women playfully beat men with sticks, is one of the most famous regional variations. Why Does Holi Move Every Year? Holi's date is determined by the full moon of the Phalguna month in the Hindu lunisolar calendar. The Hindu calendar inserts leap months (adhika maasa) about every 2.5 years to keep lunar months aligned with solar seasons, which is why Holi stays anchored in late February or March rather than drifting through the year. The astronomical anchor is the full moon that occurs when the sun is in the zodiac sign of Pisces (Meena). This full moon is always the last full moon of the Hindu year, since the new year (Ugadi/Gudi Padwa) follows two weeks later in many regional calendars. The earliest Holi can fall is late February; the latest is late March. The dates recur in a 19-year Metonic cycle, so Holi dates from your childhood will repeat closely in your adulthood.

Calendar Calculation

Full moon (Purnima) of the Phalguna month (Hindu lunar calendar); Holika Dahan the night before, Rangwali Holi the next day

Traveling for Holi? Where to Go

Holi has become a major draw for international tourists, who travel to India specifically to experience the color festival. The most famous Holi destinations are Mathura, Vrindavan, and Barsana in Uttar Pradesh — the Braj region associated with Krishna's youth. Each town has its own variant: Lathmar Holi in Barsana (where women chase men with sticks), the temple Holi at Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, and the widow's Holi at Gopinath Temple. Cities like Jaipur, Delhi, and Mumbai host large public Holis in parks and on rooftops. Many cities in Europe and North America with large Indian diaspora communities also host public Holi festivals. Top destinations for this holiday: Mathura: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Vrindavan: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Jaipur: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Varanasi: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Shantiniketan: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. If you're planning to travel for holi, compare hotel rates and book early — accommodations in Mathura fill up weeks before the festival. [Search hotels for Holi travel →]

Did You Know? Holi Facts & Trivia

The colored powder thrown during Holi — called gulal — was traditionally made from natural sources: turmeric for yellow, neem for green, kumkum for red, and jacaranda flowers for blue. Modern synthetic gulal is often made with cheaper chemical dyes, which has led to concerns about skin and eye irritation. The Lathmar Holi of Barsana — where women playfully beat men with sticks (lathis) — is one of the most famous regional variations. According to legend, Krishna visited Barsana (Radha's village) and was chased away by the women; the tradition reenacts this story. Holi is celebrated on the full moon (Purnima) of the Hindu month of Phalguna, which usually falls in February or March. The festival's timing — at the end of winter and the beginning of spring — gives it its themes of renewal, color returning to the landscape, and the triumph of warmth over cold. In Utah, the local Holi festival at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork draws over 70,000 attendees annually, making it one of the largest Holi celebrations outside India. The festival has become a major cultural event for non-Hindu Americans as well.