Chicago Celebrates Holi at Navy Pier

Chicago, IL: 
This past Saturday, March 23, 2025, Chicago celebrated Holi. the Indian festival of color, showcasing the beginning of spring, a positive environment of inclusivity, and the power of communities working together. This event demonstrated that Chicago, the great city visited by America’s first guru, Swami Vivekananda, who came in 1893 to speak of the Universal Unity of Religion, still remembers his key message: Unity.

(Smita Shah, Navy Pier Board member and Chair, Delhi Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International; Chicago Mayor Brandon JohnsonSecretary of State Alexi Giannoulias; Lt. Gov Juliana Stratton.)

The event was organized by Navy Pier Global Connections, in partnership with ComEd, the Pratima and Niranjan Shah Foundation, Sue Ling Jin Foundation, and the Delhi Committee of Chicago Sister Cities. “This memorable celebration represents the Power of Partnerships. It honors the diverse international communities that make up Chicago, celebrates the best of their culture, and supports the desire for others to experience the American Dream, all of which makes our city stronger,” commented Smita N. Shah, Board Member of Navy Pier and ComEd, and Chairman of the Delhi Committee of Chicago Sister Cities.

(Pratima Shah and Niranjan shah with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson)
 

While the Holi event is one of the two most significant celebrations in the Indian community, Holi in Chicago has become very popular. Over 10,000 people of different races, cultures, and religions and come. “It is fitting that only in Chicago, the world’s greatest City, that you will have the world’s largest Pier, with the world’s widest embrace, and now the largest Holi event in the US,” noted Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Most significantly, the Mayor of the City of Chicago and three Constitutional Officers of the State of Illinois- Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza- joined to recognize the importance of the contributions of the Indian Diaspora. “Illinois has the second largest percentage of Indians in the country. We are a cultural hub. We create opportunities for people of all cultures to come together, to experience a little bit about each other, and to see that we are stronger together,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana
Stratton in her remarks.

This event is a significant departure from the ongoing dialogue regarding people of Indian origin and those making a significant contribution to the American culture and community. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias came with his young daughters, recognizing that “This is a community about family, a belief in higher education, and having opportunity. These are the values of our City and State.”

For the entire four hours, families enjoyed cultural programs, had samosa and lassis, and were able to enjoy color throwing and Indian DJs in the garden. “This entire event is just pure joy. I am so honored to be here and to celebrate with one of the great Chicago communities,” said Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza.

Of course, the Indian Consul General was there in recognition of this great event. “It is so wonderful to see so many people from throughout Chicago join to celebrate on the momentous occasion of Holi!” Consul General Somnath Ghosh noted in his remarks. “I am particularly pleased to see so many City and State leaders join us and recognize the many contributions of this community in family values, education, business and medicine. I am proud to be a part of this celebration.”