Hundreds of residents gathered at UniSQ Oval in Toowoomba over the weekend for Holi Colourfest 2026, a community celebration organised by Indian Communities of Toowoomba in partnership with the Nepalese Association of Toowoomba and other local organisations, bringing together residents, international students and community groups.
Event coordinator Yaju Mahida said around 600 people had registered for the celebration, with about 400 attending on the day after two weather-related postponements.
“It was an absolute explosion of joy and colours! After having to postpone twice due to weather, seeing the UniSQ Oval finally covered in rainbow clouds was incredibly rewarding,” he said.
Mahida serves as the Founding Member and Platform Convener of Indian Communities of Toowoomba and led the coordination of the event with several partner organisations. These included the Nepalese Association of Toowoomba, NAT UniSQ Club, UniSQ Student Guild and UniSQ Residential Colleges.
Speaking at the event, Mahida welcomed community leaders and guests including Toowoomba Regional Council Deputy Mayor Dr Rebecca Vonhoff, Professor Lorelle Burton and representatives from the University of Southern Queensland’s international office.
“Just three years ago, our Holi Colourfest was very different; it was a potluck lunch with colours and music at Lake Annand Park, and it had been happening for the last 9 years until 2023,” he said.
“The Indian community was doing this in its own way, the Nepalese community was doing it in its own way, and the International Student community was doing it in its own way.”
He said the organisers decided to bring the celebrations together to create a shared cultural event for the wider community.
“The whole idea was to keep the traditional Hindu part at its core and evolving it to appeal to the wider Toowoomba community for creating a bridge between diverse cultures and communities in the Toowoomba region,” Mahida said.
Participation reflected that approach, with attendees from different cultural and religious backgrounds taking part in the colour celebrations, music and activities.
“Absolutely, while Holi has Hindu roots, our version in Toowoomba is a secular celebration of community,” Mahida said. “We had people from all backgrounds, faiths, and walks of life.”
Organisers said the event has grown steadily since the communities began working together in a unified format.
“It is the third year of this unified format, but the history goes back much further,” Mahida said. “Until 2023, our Holi Colourfest was very different, it was a potluck lunch with colours and music at Lake Annand Park.”
The day included music, colour play and family activities. Mahida said the water slide and DJ music were particularly popular with participants.
“The Water Slide and DJ Music were a massive hit and it provided a high energy way for people to cool off after the colour play,” he said.
Despite the positive turnout, organisers faced financial challenges after the event had to be postponed twice because of weather conditions.
“Honestly, this year was very difficult for us as we started to plan last year in July and the weather has caused two postponements,” Mahida told attendees.
“Because of this, we lost a significant portion of funds to cover the expenses of the celebrations.”
He said the organising team decided to keep the event free for the community.
“Despite that, we all have worked very hard to make sure that this celebration remains free and accessible for the wider Toowoomba community,” he said.
“I strongly believe that joy and happiness shouldn’t have a price tag.”
Additional colour packs were available for purchase during the celebration, with proceeds directed toward a student support initiative.
“All proceeds from the additional colour packs sold go toward the SG Food Pantry, run by the UniSQ Student Guild,” Mahida said.
“This is a free support program dedicated to assisting current students experiencing food insecurity by providing essential food items.”
The organising team plans to expand the event in future years with additional activities and food vendors.
“We have big visions for the future,” Mahida said. “We would love to expand the Food Court significantly.”
Organisers are also seeking more community partners as the event grows.
“We are planning to make this even bigger next year and this will require more hands to work with us,” Mahida told the audience.
The celebration continued through the afternoon with colour play, music and community activities as residents gathered across the university grounds.
“It doesn’t matter from which background you come, as the joy and happiness are unconditional,” Mahida said.
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