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 2024 the Persian New Year is on March 19th. In 2025, 2026 and 2027, it’s on March 20th. A week before, events like the Persian Fire Festival take place at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver. Events happen in other communities too, including in North Vancouver and Coquitlam.
(Note: “Nowruz” is also sometimes spelled as “Norooz” in English. In Persian, or Farsi, it’s spelled “نوروز”. The name of the fire festival the week 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.
Persian New Year Events in the Lower Mainland
Celebrations for Persians start on the Tuesday before the Persian New Year. In 2024 there are events in Coquitlam at Town Centre Park, in North Vancouver at the Shipyards, and in West Vancouver at Ambleside (plus other places too). 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.
In 2024 the Chaharshanbe Suri event in Coquitlam happens on March 12th at Town Centre Park which is located at 1299 Pinetree Way. Running from 5:00 until 9:00 pm, the festivities include fire jumping opportunities, live music, dancing and market vendors. This year the headliner musician is Sandy who is a famous Persian artist. This event is hosted by the Tricity Iranian Cultural Society.
In North Vancouver, there is a free event at the Pipe Shop in the Shipyards District. The venue’s address is 115 Victory Ship Way. It’s just a 5-minute walk from the SeaBus terminal. The event features music and live entertainment, plus a small number of vendors. There is also Persian festival food for sale. Everyone is welcome and admission is free.
In West Vancouver there is a giant outdoor event every 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. In 2024, however, there is no charge (although you do have to pay if you want to do the fire jumping). To learn more about this event, see our article about the West Van Persian Fire Festival.
Other Information
Other articles you might be interested in include the following:
- Vancouver March Calendar
- Spring Break Activities
- St. Patrick’s Day in Vancouver
- Lower Mainland Festivals & Events
- History & Culture in Vancouver
