The City of Richmond and the Diaspora Arts Connection hosted the Bay Area’s first public Nowruz Spring Equinox Celebration at Marina Bay Park on Saturday, March 22.
The festival marks the Persian New Year and the arrival of Spring. Nowruz means “New Day” in Persian language and has been celebrated for over 3,000 years across many cultures to symbolize renewal, joy and community.
Richmond City Councilmember Soheila Bana said she initiated Richmond’s first celebration of Nowruz ‘to share my culture — but it’s not just about my culture.”
“It’s about our shared culture, and how American culture becomes richer and more vibrant by welcoming immigrants and embracing their traditions,” Bana stated on social media. “Nowruz, the oldest cultural celebration still observed today, is not tied to a single nationality—it’s about the rebirth of nature, the arrival of spring, and the timeless human celebration of nature and renewal.”
VIDEO: Have You Ever Heard of Nowruz?
