How do you celebrate spring?

Thailand honors the season with a water festival while India throws a giant carnival of color. Here you'll learn about various Spring Equinox festivities and where to find them.

Songkran! Also known as the Thailand Water Fight Festival, the Songkran Festival is considered one of the most important for the people of Thailand. It is celebrated as a traditional Thai New Year, when the people sprinkle water, out of respect and to pay Buddha respect, on the elders. This year it will be celebrated between Sunday April 13^th to Tuesday April 15^th. Although it only lasts for these three days, most workers will take the entire week off. The closest Songkran Festival to us is in San Jose this year, for more information, visit their site.

Holi! The Holi festival commemorates the victory of good over evil, brought about by the burning of the demoness, Holika. This was enabled through unwavering devotion to the Hindu god of preservation, Lord Vishnu. Holi got the name "Festival of Colors" because Lord Krishna, a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, liked to play pranks on the village girls by drenching them in water and colors. The festival marks the end of winter and the abundance of the upcoming spring harvest season. It is always celebrated on the day after the full moon in March, which is March 17 this year. If you would like to participate in Holi this year, there will be a celebration on March 23 in Sacramento.  There is also a similar celebration in San Francisco, learn more about that here.

Here is a list of other countries and their spring celebrations:

• Ancient Egypt: The Festival of Isis
• Iran: Festival of No Ruz
• Ancient Rome: Feast of Cybele
• Russia: Maslenitsa
• Scotland: Whuppity Scoorie

Learn more about these celebrations at http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/ostarathespringequinox/p/SpringEqWorld.htm