Holi Party Invitations for 22 March 2027: Timing, House Rules and What Guests Need to Know

The 2027 dates

Festival calendars list Holika Dahan on Sunday, 21 March 2027 and the main colour day, Dhulandi or Rangwali Holi, on Monday, 22 March 2027. The bonfire is lit in the evening, in a muhurat set by the local panchang, and the colour play happens the next morning. Holi follows the lunar calendar and observances vary by region, so check the bonfire time locally before you print it.

Because the colour day falls on a Monday, many offices and schools will treat it as a holiday, and a Saturday or Sunday Holi milan is also likely to be popular. That shapes your choice of date.

• Sunday 21 March evening: Holika Dahan, a natural time for a society bonfire and dinner.
• Monday 22 March morning: the colour party itself.
• Saturday 20 or Sunday 21 March daytime: a pre-Holi milan for friends who will leave town for the long weekend.

When to send the invitation

Two to three weeks before is right for most home and society parties: early enough to catch people before they book trips home, late enough that it is not forgotten. For a corporate Holi event, three to four weeks is safer. Send a reminder two days before with the time, the rules and the map, and a short message on the morning itself.

The house rules, stated kindly

Holi goes wrong when guests arrive with different expectations: one brings water balloons, another has a newborn, a third does not want their hair coloured. The invitation is the one place to say how your Holi works, without sounding like a list of prohibitions.

1. Start and end time. Colour play is usually a morning affair; give an end time so people can plan the rest of the day.
2. Dry or wet: gulal only, or a water area too.
3. Herbal or organic colours only, and whether you are providing them. Ask guests not to bring their own if you want to control what is used.
4. No eggs, mud, grease, permanent paint or forced colour on anyone who says no.
5. What to wear: old white or light clothes, closed footwear, sunglasses.
6. Food and drinks: thandai with and without bhang, clearly labelled, and non-alcoholic options. If there is bhang, say so in the invitation.
7. Children and pets: welcome or not, and a colour-free area for the youngest.
8. Bathing or changing space, if guests are coming from far.

Dermatologists commonly advise oiling skin and hair an hour before playing, sunscreen and a lip balm, and washing colours off promptly with a mild cleanser. A one-line tip in the invitation is a kindness guests remember.

Wording you can adapt

Including everyone

• Some guests do not play colours for religious, health or personal reasons. Say they are welcome for the food and music, and give them a colour-free zone.
• Ask about skin conditions and allergies in the reply if you are providing the colours.
• Respect the word no. Write it into the invitation and repeat it at the gate if needed.
• Save water where you can. A dry Holi with good gulal is fun and easier on neighbours and the society tank.

Festive invitations through the year

If you host the festivals in your family or society, the same pattern of dates, timings and plain-spoken guest notes works for each one. See the Makar Sankranti and Lohri guide, the Ganesh Chaturthi home invitation guide and Navratri and garba invitations.