On the cusp of spring, March boasts many vibrant, energetic and culturally diverse events that will effortlessly thrust you from your winter shell.
1. Ring in spring with a chalk sling
Welcome in the new season through the Festival of Colors celebration at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork on March 30. The popular event melds individuals into part of a rainbow-colored crowd as colorful chalk throws (and wars) ensue every two hours.
BYU student Katie Ross, a seasoned participant in the Festival of Colors, said to come prepared to get dirty.
“It’s really fun to throw chalk at other people who have nice, clean shirts because by the end everyone is completely covered,” Ross said. “It’s just a huge gathering of people running wild like hippies.”
The event will also feature live music, authentic cuisine, yoga and dancing.
2. Observe fierce competition and costumes
Each spring, thousands flock to the BYU Marriott Center to observe and participate in the Dancesport Championships, one of the largest Dancesport competitions in the country.
From March 6 to 9, audience members can observe both individual and formation teams compete in standard, Latin, and country dancing.
Meredith Stanfill, a member of the BYU ballroom team, said she looks forward to the event each year.
“I think what I love about the event the most besides competing is just watching the professionals dance,” Stanfill said. “All of the music and incredible dresses add to the experience, but what really makes it is the chance you get to see such incredible skill and talent expressed by so many individuals.”
3. Discover the dead from around the world
The “Mummies of the World” exhibition featured at The Leonardo, a contemporary museum in Salt Lake City, is the largest collection of human and animal mummies and related artifacts ever assembled. This nationally acclaimed exhibit opened mid-February and will remain available to Utah locals through May.
Featured artifacts include a 6,420-year-old child mummy from Peru, a mummified family from Hungary and a howler monkey adorned with a feather skirt and headdress.
4. Revel in the Haka and BYU Rugby’s Champions’ Challenge
As the 2012 national champions, the BYU rugby team is gearing up for another successful season. On March 2, the team opened the home season in a game against USU.
On March 9, the reigning Collegiate National Champions will participate in a Champions’ Challenge between the previous year’s Super League Champion, New York Athletic Club, on the BYU South Field.
BYU student Ethan Carroll appreciates the no-frills nature of the game.
“I love rugby because of how brutally physical it is: no pads, no helmets; just strength, size and speed,” Carroll said.
Carroll said the traditional haka at the beginning of games often gives him chills.
“My favorite thing about BYU rugby is definitely the haka,” Carroll said. “Tradition is a big part of BYU athletics, and the haka epitomizes tradition.”
5. Contemplate contemporary theater
The BYU Department of Theater and Media Arts presents “The Cleverest Thief” and selections from “Gone Missing,” a contemporary play that invites audiences to view life through an unusual lens and provides insight into how we relate to the things we lose and the things we find.
While “The Cleverest Thief” features BYU students, “Gone Missing” highlights members of New York City’s premier investigative theater company.
The performances run through March 9 in the Harris Fine Arts Center, with showings on Wednesday through Saturday.
