Krishna's Hold Annual Venice Parade "The Festival of the Chariots"

8/6/2017: The Festival of the Chariots included a parade which started at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, and winded its way down to Venice. It also included free food, entertainment, exhibits and booths.

The annual event is put on by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) or more commonly known as Hare Krishna movement.

"The Festival of the Chariots is now performed in many cities, and dates back thousands of years to Jagannatha Puri, India," said the group's website. The event is "an outreach to the public... and noted for its colorful costumes."

According to the group's website, "principles Bhaktivedanta Swami prescribed as the basis of the spiritual life," include: no eating of meat, fish or eggs; sex only between married couples and only for the procreation of children; no gambling, and no intoxicants (including alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and other recreational drugs).

Which sounds very much like Venice. Well sort of. Okay not really, but the costumes are indeed, colorful!

All Photos by Mary Leipziger.