The Mid Summer's Dream colour festival runs August 17
By Adam Carter, CBC News
Posted: Aug 7, 2013 10:37 AM ET
Last Updated: Aug 7, 2013 10:33 AM ET
The Mid Summer's Dream colour festival is carving out a niche in Hamilton as the polar opposite of a corporate summer festival.
There's no alcohol, for one. The musicians and performers aren't the toast of summer radio. And there are massive plumes of coloured dye cascading through the air every half hour or so.
'If you can experience the beauty of someone else's culture, you can experience the beauty of someone else.'—Mark Gowland, organizer
"When people see bright colours, it just brings out your inner child. It's therapy," said Mark Gowland, the festival's organizer.
"It's an excuse to be a kid again."
The festival is less a nod to Shakespeare and more a homage to the Indian Holi Festival of Colours, where people celebrate wildly and hurl coloured powder at each other. Last year's inaugural festival in Gage Park drew around 1,000 people, and Gowland expects that number to grow this year.
It's a non-traditional kind of gathering with some traditional roots. Yes, the biggest draw is the colour toss, where everyone gathers and flings dye into the air at once. (It's mostly cornstarch).
But in between, people throw footballs and Frisbees around the park. They dance and have fun and listen to music. It's a stark contrast to most packed summer festivals, Gowland says.
"I just want to stay true to that vibe," Gowland said. "It was just a lot of people playing for a full day."
Holi celebrates peace and breaks down barriers — an edict that Gowland takes to heart and hopes to achieve in Hamilton, too. "If you can experience the beauty of someone else's culture, you can experience the beauty of someone else," he said.
With that in mind, the entertainment is a mishmash of different styles and cultures. It includes:
Gowland's a big fan of Preem's sitar playing, especially. "It's like love playing music, I swear to god."
The diverse musical bill is all about opening up doors to new cultures, he says. "There's something beautiful about everyone's culture," he said. "This city is so multicultural, but I don't think people see that."
Admission to the festival is a non-perishable food item for the Good Shepherd Centre. Last year the proceeds went to the Neighbour 2 Neighbour food bank. Gowland and his crew raised over 800 pounds of food.
The Mid Summer's Dream colour festival takes place on August 17 in Gage Park From 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more info, visit the event Facebook page.
MSD 2013: The Event of the Summer (Part 9 of 9) from Brandon Di Luca on Vimeo.
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