Nowruz Family Festival

Honor the new year at our annual Nowruz Family Day. Come dressed in your Nowruz best and welcome spring with free attractions for all ages, including storytelling, hands-on activities, and more. Persian sweets and food will be available for purchase. Learn about Nowruz.

Register in advance to make sure you get the best experience. Some activities have a limited capacity, with entry on a first-come, first-served basis.

Performances
All performance locations have limited capacity, and access will not be allowed once capacity is reached.

• Storytelling with Xanthe
  Ripley Center, Discovery Theater, level B3
  12:00, 1:00, 2:30, and 3:30 p.m.

Activities
Special thanks to the Family Fun team and our backgammon community players.

• Haft Sin Table
  West Building, North Lobby
  11 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Scavenger Hunt and Storybook Reading
  West Building, Galleries 3 and 4
  11 a.m.–2 p.m.
• Calligraphy by Alibaba Awrang
  East Building, B1 Lobby
  11 a.m.–1 p.m.
• Children's Book Reading with Rashin Kheiriyeh
  East Building, Flex Space, level B1
  11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.
• Backgammon and Chess
  West Building, South Corridor
  12–3 p.m.

Crafts
Special thanks to the Family Fun team and Sarv School.

• Haft Sin Coloring
  West Building, North Corridor
  11 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Mask Craft by Sarv School
  West Building, Freer Conference Room, level GR
  11 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Hyacinth Craft
  East Building, Gallery 30, level B3
  11 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Crafts with Rashin Kheiriyeh
  East Building, Flex Space, level B1
  11 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Calligraphy Workshop with Alibaba Awrang
  East Building, ImaginAsia Studio, level B2
  2–4 p.m.
  This workshop has limited capacity, and access will only be allowed based on availabilty throughout the time block.

Tours and Talks

• Tours with Curator Antonietta Catanzariti
  East Building, Gallery 21
  1–2 p.m. and 2:30–3:30 p.m.
• Tours with Curators Massumeh Farhad and Simon Rettig
  West Building, Galleries 3-4
  2:30–3:30 p.m.
• Docent-led Spotlight Talks
  West Building, Gallery 12
  1–2 p.m., 2–3 p.m., 3–4 p.m

Food for Sale
Sales until supplies last. Lines for food vendors end at 3:30 p.m.

• Moby Dick
  Ripley Center, Room 3037
  12–4 p.m.
• Kandu Pastry
  Ripley Center, Room 3035
  12–4 p.m.
• The Persian Table
  Ripley Center, Room 3035
  12–4 p.m.
• Afghan Chai
  Ripley Center, Room 3035
  12–4 p.m.

Some activities have a limited capacity, with entry on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. General RSVP through Eventbrite is not considered a ticket and does not guarantee entry to individual activities or performances.

About Nowruz:

Nowruz, the Persian word for “new day,” marks the vernal equinox and the first day of spring. Rooted in Zoroastrianism, the religion of Iran before the advent of Islam, Nowruz was celebrated in much of the ancient Near East as early as three thousand years ago. Today, people in many regions from West Asia and the Caucasus to Central Asia, to South Asia participate in the thirteen days of Nowruz festivities with their own local variations.

Featured exhibitions: and .

Our annual festival is made possible by the Jahangir and Eleanor Amuzegar Persian Culture Celebrations Fund.

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Host or Publisher Freer and Sackler Galleries