Nowruz 2016 By Allison Pinski

Nowruz (also written as “Norooz”) is an Iranian and Persian celebration for the coming of Spring. It symbolizes birth and renewal, as well as the Persian New Year. It is celebrated to get rid of bad luck and welcome in the new year with good luck. Nowruz is celebrated everywhere, but is especially interesting to watch in cities or communities with large Persian populations (like New York City.

I was fortunate enough to see the Persian Parade in New York City last month on April 17th. The parade was full of traditional costumes, Iranian music, dancing, and intricate floats. Different Persian and Iranian groups in NYC participate in the parade annually, like Doctor associations, Persian law groups, community advocacy groups, etc.

You can read more about the traditions of Nowruz here.