Party

BY ALENEY DE WINTER

Colour Run

A vibrant cloud of yellow clears to reveal ecstatic faces smeared in streaks of electric blue, green and red. A sari-clad girl runs into the crowd, drawing great daubs of pink across giggling faces, the favour returned tenfold as she is turned into a canvas of kaleidoscopic colour by the singing and dancing revellers.

If you land in India during the ancient Hindu spring festival of Holi, timed to the last full moon of the Hindu lunar month of Phalguna (generally falling in late February or early March), be sure to pack a spare change of clothes, because nobody escapes this psychedelic free-for-all.

One of the most significant festivals in Hinduism, the annual ritual begins with a bonfire to symbolise the triumph of good over evil, followed by the vibrant riot of powder paint and coloured water that welcomes spring and new beginnings. The one of a kind festival is an opportunity for people to release their inhibitions, and with the gods said to turn a blind eye during the festivities, unleash them they do.

Game On

The biggest event in the world of cycling, the Tour de France bike race is the world’s most watched annual television event. Add a little ooh la la to this year’s Tour (which will cover 3,404km from 1-23 July), by catching all the action live roadside as the professionals pedal their way through some of the most exquisitely beautiful regions in France as they battle for the yellow jersey. Then follow in their tracks, riding the same climbs as you soak up the breathtaking mountain scenery and indulge in local culinary delights.

Raise a glass of champagne to champion players as you nibble fresh strawberries bathed in fresh whipping cream from your enviable Centre Court seats at the world’s most prestigious tennis Grand Slam, Wimbledon. Held at The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club from 3-16 July 2023, spectators not only enjoy edge of their seat on-court action but century-old traditions under the English summer sun.