Bradford library celebrating Persian New Year with free event

Community invited to take in Nowruz festivities March 26

Bradfordtoday.ca
March 16, 2023

The Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library is excited to partner with the Barrie Persian Association on Sunday, March 26 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. to celebrate Nowruz: the beginning of spring and the beginning of the new year celebrated by Persians and many other communities from the Middle East to Central Asia and beyond.

The afternoon will feature live Iranian and Afghan dance, crafts, snacks, and live music. We are especially thrilled to welcome Kousha Nakhaei and Amin Reyhani of Toronto’s Sarv Music Academy to perform traditional Iranian music on the kamanche (Iranian spiked fiddle) and santour (Iranian dulcimer).

This free event will begin with a moment of solidarity for the people of Iran and Afghanistan at 1 p.m. on the library lawn, weather permitting. Live dance, music, snacks, and crafts will follow beginning at 2 p.m. in the library Zima Room.

“It’s an event for the whole community. We see it as an opportunity for reflection, appreciation, and enjoyment, as we welcome spring and gather around food, dance, and music,” says David di Giovanni, BWGPL’s manager of cultural services. “We are very happy to partner with the Barrie Persian Association on this event, who have also played an instrumental role in celebrating Persian Heritage Month in our display case this March.”

The Barrie Persian Association is a Simcoe-based not-for-profit that promotes dialogue and understanding between the Persian community (including all Farsi-language speakers) and other communities living in Canada and Simcoe County.

The BWG Library and Cultural Centre is located at 425 Holland St. W.

For more information, visit the BWG library website at www.bradford.library.on.ca.