Vancouver's Persian New Year | Vancouver's Best Places

Middle Eastern Academy of Dance

Nowruz is the Persian New Year which happens in mid-March. A number of events take place in Metro Vancouver to celebrate, including a couple of fire festivals.

In 2025 the Persian New Year was on March 20th (and will be the same date in 2026 and 2027 too). There are different events that take place in the lead-up to the big day, like the Persian Fire Festival at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver. Events typically happen either before or after the official date in other communities too, including in North Vancouver and Coquitlam. In North Vancouver in 2025, for example, there was a special event with free activities on March 22nd at Capilano Mall.

Continue reading to learn about all the main Persian New Year events that happen in Metro Vancouver.

Persian New Year Events in the Lower Mainland

Celebrations for Persians start on the Tuesday before the Persian New Year. That’s when the majority of the events are in Metro Vancouver. There are sometimes other events that happen as well.

(Note: “Nowruz” is also sometimes spelled as “Norooz” in English. In Persian, or Farsi, it’s spelled “نوروز”. The name of the fire festival before the New Year is “Chaharshanbe Suri.”)

To learn about the events in different places in the Lower Mainland, continue reading. To learn specifically about the big Norooz event in West Vancouver, see our article about the Persian Fire Festival at Ambleside Park.

Nowruz New Year Celebrations at Capilano Mall

In 2025 there was a post-new year Nowruz Event at North Vancouver’s Capilano Mall. It happened on Saturday, March 22nd, from 12:00 until 2:00 pm.

The event featured dance performances by the Academy of Middle Eastern Dance as well as a traditional drumming performance and a traditional Haft-Seen table display. The event was free to attend and open for everyone to come enjoy.

Capilano Mall at Nowruz Event — Persian New Year Event at Capilano Mall

Other Chaharshanbe Suri Events

In 2025 there were Chaharshanbe Suri events in Coquitlam at Town Centre Park, in North Vancouver at the Shipyards, and in West Vancouver at Ambleside Park (and likely other places as well).

Activities often include fires and fire jumping (which anyone who wants can participate in). The jumping over fires is a way to bless the New Year. It’s a traditional, symbolic act of renewal and purification. All three of the events listed here happened in 2025 on Tuesday, March 18th.

Persian New Year in North Vancouver

In North Vancouver, in addition to the event at Capilano Mall, there is usually a free event at the Shipyards District. The venue’s address is 115 Victory Ship Way. It’s just a five-minute walk from the SeaBus terminal.

The event at the Shipyards features music and live entertainment, plus a number of vendors. There is also Persian festival food for sale. Everyone is welcome and admission is free. The year before the event was indoors at the Pipe Shop. In 2025, however, it was outdoors in Shipbuilders’ Square. The activities this year happened on March 17th between 11:00 am and 8:00 pm and on March 18th between 10:00 am and 11:00 pm. For details, see the Shipyards District website.

Persian New Year at Shipyards — Nowruz Celebrations at the Shipyards

Persian New Year in Coquitlam

In 2025 the Chaharshanbe Suri event in Coquitlam happened at Town Centre Park which is located at 1299 Pinetree Way. Running from around 5:00 pm until 9:00 pm, the festivities included fire jumping opportunities, live music, dancing and market vendors. This year the headlining musician was popular Iranian artist Shahram Shabpareh. This event is hosted by the Tricity Iranian Cultural Society.

Persian Fire Festival in West Vancouver

In West Vancouver there’s a giant outdoor event each year with multiple market vendors and live music on a giant stage at Ambleside Park. As many as 10,000 people attend in years with good weather. In the past, admission has cost about $10, but in 2025 and the year before there was no charge (although you had to pay if you wanted to do the fire jumping). To learn more about this event, see our article about the West Van Persian Fire Festival.