Festival of Joy is a fun-filled day of bright colors, flowers, traditional street food, and a free vegetarian feast, along with music, dance, and interactive holistic living and cultural activities.

The festival begins with a welcome ceremony at the park, followed by a parade at noon through the Dallas Arts District. Hundreds of festivalgoers will pull a colorful chariot carrying the deities of Jagannatha, Balarama and Subhadra along Flora Street. Hundreds more will dance while singing sacred mantras and playing traditional musical instruments. Devotees believe that if they get to pull the ropes of the giant chariot carrying Lord Krishna, also known as Jagannatha or Lord of the Universe, they can obtain eternal service to the Lord in the spiritual world.

After the procession ends at the park, guests can enjoy a free vegetarian feast and visit cultural and educational exhibits of holistic living and the spiritual heart of India. The main stage will feature kirtan (musical mantra meditation) and bharat-natyam (classical Indian dance). This year’s performers will include acclaimed Manipuri dancer Rinku Das and Odissi dancer Krishnaveni Putrevu. Throughout the day, Kalachandji’s will operate several stalls selling regional Indian street food favorites. Other stalls will present Ayurveda, yoga, traditional crafts, vegetarian cooking demos, ask-a-monk, tie-a-sari, face painting, and more.