Celebrate Persian New Year with the best events around the Bay Area
Persian New Year, also known as Nowruz, starts on the vernal equinox — this year, Tuesday, March 19 — and is celebrated for 13 days thereafter. As the holiday draws near, you’ll find those who celebrate doing official spring cleaning and decluttering, shopping for new clothes, and in an interesting twist, jumping over fire during a festival called Chaharshanbe Suri, during which bonfires are built and then leapt over, symbolizing the renewing properties of a new year.
Arrangements of items symbolizing various hopes for the year ahead, known as a Haft-sin, make up the holiday centerpiece on many dining room tables. And visits with relatives and friends include special holiday foods and lots of sweet treats. The culminating event of the celebration is often an afternoon picnic called Sizdah-Bedar. The much-loved, nonreligious holiday has been observed for at least 3,000 years in Iran and is observed worldwide, throughout Central and Western Asia and the Balkans, as well as in the United States.
Here is the Chronicle’s guide to events and activities in the Bay Area to help you celebrate Nowruz, Persian New Year 1403 and the verdure of spring.
Nowruz Children’s Crafts
Children are invited to help decorate the library for its upcoming Persian New Year celebration, decorate eggs and learn to write their names in Farsi.
6 p.m. Thursday, March 21. Free, reservations required; for ages 8-12. Benicia Library, 150 East L St., Benicia. https://benicialibrary.org
Nowruz 1403 Gala Celebration
San Francisco Mayor London
Breed and District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safaí join emcees Hooman Khalili and journalist Yasmin Khorram at a gala event in partnership with Persian Women in Tech. It’s set to include a cocktail hour, dinner and live performances from Ballet Afsaneh, Nejad World Music, comedian Maz Jobrani and DJ Amp.
6 p.m.-midnight Friday, March 22. $400-$1,500, reservations required. San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, S.F. www.dancesilkroad.org
Persian New Year Celebration
Celebrate the start of spring and a new year with sweet treats, music, poetry, dance and more.
6-7:30 p.m. Friday, March 22. Free. Benicia Library, 150 East L St., Benicia. 707-746-4343. https://benicialibrary.org
Light of Hope trio
Based on the musical compositions of Saman Mahmoudi, Light of Hope offers a program focused on the idea of light shining through darkness featuring santourist/composer Mahmoudi, dancer Shahrzad Khorsandi and percussionist Nariman Assadi.
7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23. $35-$40, reservations recommended. Central Stage, 5221 Central Ave., Richmond. 510-6109146. https://centralstage. org/light-of-hope
Nowruz Party: spring Equinox Party with Nima
Celebrate Persian New Year with sweet and savory treats, wine and music from multi-instrumentalist and Prezenc founder Nima Sepehr, who will perform live traditional Persian instruments blended with electronic music.
9 p.m. Saturday, March 23. $5 with advance reservation; 21 and older. Arcana, 2512 Mission St., S.F. www.arcanasf.com
spring Party: Celebrating Persian New Year
A dance party with Persian, Euro, Top 40, Latin and international house beats from DJs Dr. T, Aykut, Mian and Turker; drums by Blue Peace Drummers. Must be 21 or older.
9 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Saturday-Sunday, March 23-24. $2-$50, reservations recommended. The Grand, 520 Fourth St., S.F. www.aykutevents.com
Nowruz Around the World
Welcome spring while exploring the customs and traditions of Persian New Year celebrations around the world. Enjoy live music and dance from San Jose’s Beshkan and Niosha Dance academies and story time with Sepideh. Learn about the special Haftsin table arrangement and enjoy hands-on holiday activities.
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday, March 24. Included with museum admission; reservations recommended. Children’s Discovery Museum, 180 Woz Way, San Jose. 408-298-5437. www. cdm.org
shahrzad Dance Company
Enjoy an interactive performance to celebrate the Persian New Year, featuring fire-jumping (no real flames) and more excitement.
2:30 p.m. March 27. Free. At S.F. Public Library, Portola branch, 380 Bacon St., S.F. 415-3555660. Program repeats at 5:30 p.m. March 27. Free. At S.F. Public Library, Sunset branch, 1305 18th Ave., S.F. 415-355-2808. https://sfpl.org
sounds of sWANA Heritage with sirvan Manhoobi
An afternoon musical performance will feature classical Iranian, Arabic and Kurdish music performed on traditional instruments including oud, setar and tanbour by Sirvan Manhoobi with percussionist Cina Dibay.
2 p.m. March 31. Free. S.F. Public Library, Bayview branch, 5075 Third St., S.F. 415-355-5757. https://sfpl.org
Nowruz Concert with Bay Area Persian Choir
Naser Sheikhzadegan conducts an evening program featuring the rich melodies and harmonies of traditional Persian music as well as new compositions and arrangements.
6 p.m. March 31. $30, reservations recommended. Central Stage, 5221 Central Ave., Richmond. https://centralstage.org
sahba Aminikia: the Language of the Birds
Drawing inspiration from a poem by the 12thcentury Sufi mystic Attar of Nishapur, artistin-residence Aminikia’s vision brings to life the story about a group of birds who overcome fear and doubt to set off in search of a mythical king who will make the world right.
The composer’s five month residency will include mixed-media installation/exhibition. It culminates with two full-length evening performances scheduled for May 31 and June 1 featuring project collaborators writer/translator Zara Houshmand, the San Francisco Girls Chorus, the Living Earth Show, media artist John Sanborn and vocalist Marjan Vahdat.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. TuesdayFriday. Through June 1. 836M, 836 Montgomery St., S.F. 415-202-5450. https://836m.org Chronicle staff writer Shoka
contributed to this report.