The Villa Park Noruz Celebration will take place on Saturday, March 25, 2023 from 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. at the Villa Park Town Center. Visitors can enjoy a free festive event with music, kids activities, face painting and entertainment. Noruz is a non-religious celebration that coincides with the Spring Equinox and dates back thousands of years in the Persian culture.
This cultural celebration event is sponsored by SoCal Edison and brough to you by the Villa Park Community Services Foundation.
Villa Park Noruz Celebration
Where: Villa Park Town Center
Date & Time
Event: Saturday, March 25, 2023 | 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Spring Equinox: Monday, March 20, 2023 2:24 PM
What is Noruz?
Noruz (also spelled as “Nowruz”, “Nowrooz”, or “New Year”), means “New Day” in Farsi and is the Persian New Year, which is celebrated by many communities and countries including Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and parts of Iraq, India, and Pakistan. It is celebrated at the exact moment of the Spring Equinox, the moment at which the sun crosses the celestial equator and equalizes night and day.
Chharshanbe Suri is a prelude to the New Year and is celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday before Noruz. People gather outside and jump over bonfires asking the fire to take away ill-health and problems and replace them with warmth , health and energy.
Everyone wishes each other “Noruz Mobarak” or Eid Mobarak.” Children receive money from their elders and special dishes are prepared like sabzi polo mahi (fish and herbed rice).
On the thirteenth day of the New Year everyone picnics outdoors as part of the Sizdebedar ceremony. The sabzeh is thrown into flowing water, symbolizing a letting go of the misfortunes of the coming year.
The Noruz traditional setting, called Haft Seen, comprises of seven items beginning with the Persian letter “S”:
- Somagh (sumac): symbolizes the color of sunrise.
- Serkeh (vinegar): symbolizes age and patience.
- Senjed (dried fruit from lotus tree): symbolizes love.
- Samanoo (sweet pudding): symbolizes affluence.
- Sabzeh (sprouts): symbolizes rebirth.
- Sib (apple): symbolizes health and beauty.