This annual tradition started as an imitation of the Hindu festival of Holi, where people throw colored powder at each other. The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil, the coming of spring and the end of winter. In India, it dates as far back as the year 300 CE.
This year around 2,500 people participated in the Color Run. The color run serves as an excuse to get together and have fun. It is also a way to promote exercise and the expression of love, symbolized by the different colors. After the race was over, there was a music concert where a saxophonist played music until 1:00 AM, and by that time I was exhausted and ready to sleep.
The tradition is connected with France in that, from what I have observed, it is a country which emphasizes healthy lifestyle. There are always marathons and races happening all across France. Also, France has a wide range of cultures, and like the United States, many cultural hybrids emerge as a result. The relatively close distance between cities in France makes it easy for people to travel to events happening in neighboring cities. This opens up a lot of opportunities to gather and meet new people.
