Come celebrate Nowruz and welcome in the delight of the vernal equinox with the Iranian American Cultural Society of RI. Join us at the International House to revel in culture and tradition, view our Haftseen, listen to music, dance, enjoy traditional Iranian dishes and other food (sign up for the potluck here) and congregate with friends and family. This is a family-friendly event with crafts for children.

This event begins at 11 AM and wraps up around 2:00 PM. Please sign-up for your free tickets in advance at our Eventbrite link!

What is Nowruz?

The vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere kicks off the celebration of the Persian New Year or Nowruz - ‘New Day’. This ancient holiday is celebrated by all Iranians regardless of their religion – Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Baha’is, and atheists – and holds a higher place in the Iranian calendar than any national or religious holiday.

Preparation for Nowruz begins with people cleaning their houses from top to bottom to welcome spring into their homes. The weeks leading to Nowruz are spent in shopping malls and bazaars finding the right piece of clothing to wear the moment the sun crosses the equator – a moment that defines how the new year will be.

On the eve of Nowruz, each family sets up a spread of haftseen ‘seven S’s’ with items that symbolize the wishes for the new year: health, patience, prosperity, light, rebirth, fertility, and beauty. During this two-week celebration, families visit relatives and friends and embrace the renewal of earth by spending time in gardens or picnicking in parks and nature preserves.

March is typically the time when the Iranian diaspora feels nostalgic, going about the days without the familiar buzzing, anticipation, and contagious optimism that leads to the new year. Since 2022 the Iranian-American Cultural Society of RI, in partnership with International House of RI has hosted a family-friendly celebration at the International House. We would love our fellow Rhode Islanders to celebrate this special day with us!

International House of Rhode Island is a non-profit organization promoting friendship, connection, learning, and global understanding by bringing people together from around the world for cross-cultural exchange.

Iranian American Cultural Society of Rhode Island is a volunteer-based non-political resource group to celebrate culture, heritage and language while giving back to our beloved Rhode Island. Join them on Facebook Groups (Iranian American Cultural Society of Rhode Island) or Instagram (iranianamericansocietyri).