Three towering, hand-pulled chariots will roll through Santa Monica and Venice on Sunday, Aug. 3, marking the 49th annual Festival of the Chariots, one of North America's longest-running celebrations of Indian culture and spirituality.
The festival, organized by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), expects to draw 30,000 to 50,000 participants and spectators for a day-long celebration that transforms Venice Beach into what organizers call a "mini-India."
The parade begins at 10 a.m. at the Santa Monica Civic Center and proceeds south along Main Street before turning onto the Venice Beach Boardwalk, concluding at Windward Plaza around midday. City authorities will close Main Street to traffic from 8 a.m. until the parade passes to accommodate the massive procession.
"It's open to everybody," said Karuna, an ISKCON organizer. "The majority of people attending are non-Hindu, non-Hare Krishna" participants who often "wander in from the beach in swim attire."
The festival's centerpiece features three elaborately decorated chariots, each standing 40 to 50 feet tall and adorned with red, blue and gold cloth, fresh flower garlands and colorful flags. The chariots carry statues of Lord Jagannath, Lady Subhadra and Lord Balarama and are pulled entirely by human power using thick rope cables.
The Venice celebration traces its roots to the ancient Ratha Yatra tradition from Jagannath Puri, India, where enormous chariots have been pulled through streets for centuries in what's considered the world's oldest street festival. The tradition was introduced to the Western world in 1967 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ISKCON's founder.
The first Los Angeles Festival of the Chariots was held in 1977 along the Santa Monica-Venice route, establishing an annual tradition that has run for over 40 years with only a two-year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For ISKCON devotees, the festival carries profound spiritual significance. The parade commemorates a joyous homecoming of the divine, symbolizing God being lovingly drawn back to the hearts of devotees. Participants believe that helping pull the chariots yields spiritual benefit "beyond even good karma," said to confer liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
"The goal is to promote unity and spiritual upliftment: transcending social barriers and reminding everyone of our shared higher purpose of love and service," organizers explained.
The religious celebration centers on kirtan, the congregational chanting of sacred mantras, particularly the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. As the chariots roll, hundreds join in singing and dancing, creating what observers describe as a moving temple of sound and joy.
Once the chariots arrive at Windward Plaza, the festivities expand into a cultural festival featuring two entertainment stages, live dance and drama performances, cultural exhibits, an Indian imports bazaar and numerous vegetarian food booths. ISKCON volunteers will serve a free vegetarian lunch to approximately 10,000 guests on a first-come, first-served basis.
Cultural performances highlight the diversity of Indian arts, including classical Bharata Natyam dance by the renowned Shakti Dance Troupe, which has performed at the festival since its inception. The 2025 event will feature live entertainment, children's activities, yoga demonstrations, mantra meditation workshops and presentations by spiritual teachers.
Recent festivals have included special guest speakers such as Raghunath Cappo and Kaustubha Das, hosts of the popular "Wisdom of the Sages" podcast, who lead interactive spiritual talks and guided meditations.
The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the festival site, with admission free to the public. According to the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the event serves as both a Hindu religious celebration and a colorful cultural festival that attracts Angelenos from many traditions.
Many local families make the festival an annual outing, with children often seen dancing to drums on stage or trying on Indian costumes. The come-as-you-are atmosphere creates what one organizer described as a "feeling of love and brotherhood" exemplified by seeing people of all backgrounds "dancing on the Boardwalk and singing the mantra with us."
For more information, visit www.festivalofchariots.com or call 310-836-4342.