Colourful festival welcomes people to Port Stanley beach for music, dancing, food

It will be a day at the beach like no other, organizers say, with music, dancing, food, and colourful powder to cover participants in a celebration of different cultures coming together. 

The Colours on the Beach festival is taking place Saturday in Port Stanley. It's put on by Indian Culture of London Ontario, Indo-Can Punjabi Cultural Association of St. Thomas and the South-Asian Association of London and the surrounding area. 

"It's a big diversity festival. We wanted all cultures to get together. Everyone wants to throw the colours on each other. Colours have no boundaries," said Bhavin Patel of the Indian Culture association. 

"We want people to come and enjoy and dance and get to know each culture." 

The vibrant coloured powder is usually thrown during the Hindu holiday of Holi, which happens in the spring. Patel said he wanted to bring the colours to all cultures and communities. 

"The colours mean, if you have any problems with anybody, you throw the colours, they are combined, you forget it, we are still friends," Patel said. 

Patel said he hopes people will come to the beach and take in different cultures, music and food. 

"In this world, we need to be together. It gives you mental peace," he said. "You are dancing, you are talking with the different people." 

The free Colours on the Beach festival kicks off at 1 p.m. and runs until 5 p.m. on the main beach at Port Stanley. Colours can be purchased on site. 

There will be Dhol drummers, Bollywood dancers, synchronized colour throws and food from north and south India.