New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined thousands of revelers in Queens to celebrate Phagwah, the Indo-Caribbean Holi festival, in a vibrant parade that brought color, music and tradition to the streets of Richmond Hill.Mamdani participated in the 38th annual Phagwah Parade on Sunday, marching with Hindu New Yorkers to celebrate the holiday. Holi marks the love between the Hindu gods Radha and Krishna, as well as the arrival of light, color and spring.After the parade, Mamdani said in a post shared on This year’s parade is livelier than ever, he said, adding that New York City is ready to welcome spring and express its wishes for happiness and harmony to all.The parade began at Liberty Avenue and 133rd Street, moved west along Liberty Avenue, and then turned north at 124th Street. The parade then traveled east along 97th Avenue, eventually arriving at Smokey Oval (also known as Phil Rizzuto Park), where post-parade festivities continued with large community participation.Phagwah is the Indo-Caribbean name for the festival of Holi, which draws thousands of people to Freedom Avenue every year and has profound significance to the Indo-Guyanese community. The festival is rooted in Hindu tradition and commemorates the victory of good over evil through the story of Prahlad and Holika, with the celebrations preceded by the Holika Dahan bonfire. The color of the second day represents renewal, the arrival of spring and the hope of a bountiful harvest, reflecting its connection to agricultural cycles and new beginnings.Over time, Phagwa has transcended its religious origins in places like Guyana and evolved into a broader national celebration among communities of different ethnic backgrounds. For Indo-Guyanese, it remains a symbol of faith and a symbol of cultural identity, while also promoting values such as forgiveness, love and social harmony.
