Nowruz Is Here! Iranian Community Celebrates Spring in Northern Liberties

Elissa Odeh                      

With spring’s arrival last Friday, 400 people came out to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, during a colorful night filled with Iranian music, food, and dance at Ruba Club in Northern Liberties. Iranian Philadelphians Neema Kashi, 32, of South Philadelphia, and Amanda Etemad, 27, of Washington Square West, hosted the Nowruz party, hoping to grow Philadelphia’s Iranian community and introduce the city’s non-Iranians to their traditions and culture.

DJs Teeyam Moussavi, Omeed Hurtubise, and Vikas Patel seamlessly mixed Iranian tracks at Ruba Club in Northern Liberties last Friday, at a Nowruz party hosted by two Iranian Philadelphians. Photo: Elissa Odeh

Nowruz, meaning “new day” in Persian, marks the beginning of the Iranian calendar year — welcoming the first day of spring and symbolizing the renewal of life, as nature blooms after winter ends. One of the oldest holidays in the world, Nowruz has roots in the ancient Persian religion, Zoroastrianism, but has evolved into a cultural celebration of spring for many communities worldwide. It’s considered a time to release the old and embrace new beginnings.

Etemad moved to Philadelphia from New Jersey three years ago on Nowruz. “Nowruz marks a new chapter of my life in a new city with a new job, new friends, and a new Iranian community,” she told Al-Bustan News. “It’s like a new awakening because the sun is out, flowers are blooming, and you’re blossoming into a new year.”

Kashi, whose parents immigrated to the United States during the Iranian revolution, has lived in Philadelphia for 15 years. He tried to find other Iranians to connect with but was disappointed by the lack of Iranian presence in the city. He started hosting Nowruz parties four years ago in an effort to foster community in the city.

“I was so surprised that when I would throw those events, Iranians would come out of the woodwork and show up,” Kashi told Al-Bustan News. “It made me so thankful that I’m doing this and that’s ultimately what made me want to keep building it up.”

And build it up, he has. This year, Kashi partnered with his friend Etemad and other local Iranian artists and creators to bring Nowruz traditions to life in a memorable celebration.

The Haft-sin table was a prominent feature of Neema Kashi and Amanda Etemad’s Nowruz party. Photo: Elissa Odeh.

Kashi prepared some Persian classic dishes for guests, including ghormeh sabzi (Persian herb stew) and koobideh kabob(beef kebab), while Miranda Stephan’s culinary brand, Philly Hummus Girl, offered Lebanese bites, including her signature hummus.

Meanwhile, the Iranian musical group Shiraz Ensemble performed classical Persian melodies. Parsa Fedowsi strummed the setar (string instrument) and santour (hammered dulcimer), while Sina Homaee played the daf (large frame drum)and tombak (wooden goblet-shaped drum).

Four hundred people came out to celebrate Nowruz, at Ruba Club in Northern Liberties last Friday, where Parsa Fedowsi and Sina Homaee of the Iranian musical group Shiraz Ensemble performed classical Persian melodies. Photo: Elissa Odeh.

“We wanted to provide an intimate vibe where people can come eat, chat, and enjoy some music at the beginning of the event,” said Kashi.

Attendee Hanna Sharif-Kazemi, an Iranian American, said she enjoyed the music and atmosphere.

“I never knew where to eat Iranian food or where I could be around other Iranians, so it’s amazing that there’s now a space with many Iranians sharing Iranian culture,” said Sharif-Kazemi. “I love hearing the setar and eating koobideh with people I love.”

A traditional ‘Haft-sin’ table decorated with various desserts was part of the decor at last Friday’s Nowruz party. Photo: Elissa Odeh.

The focal point of the room was the Haft-sin table: Traditionally on Nowruz, celebrants display seven items, all of which start with the Persian letter ‘S’ — symbolizing hope, prosperity and renewal. The table featured sabzeh (sprouts), symbolizing rebirth and renewal; samanu (sweet pudding), symbolizing strength; sib (apples), symbolizing health and beauty; somaq (sumac), symbolizing sunrise and the triumph of good over evil; serkeh (vinegar), symbolizing wisdom and patience; sir (garlic), symbolizing protection; and senjed (dried oleaster), symbolizing love.

American-born Adam Burtt, 30, returned to celebrate Nowruz for the third year in a row.

“It’s such a beautiful cultural experience,” Burtt told Al-Bustan News, adding that he enjoys both the sense of community and the Iranian traditions, especially the Haft-sin table. 

DJ Teeyam Moussavi played Iranian beats for 400 attendees at last Friday’s Nowruz party in Philadelphia. Photo: Elissa Odeh.

DJs Vikas Patel, Teeyam Moussavi, and Omeed Hurtubise played Iranian beats, while Iranian American visual artist Shaina Nasrin lit up the dance floor with colorful projections in Ruba’s upstairs ballroom. Dressed in vibrant colors to honor spring, guests danced the night away, sparking new connections and friendships.

“Philadelphia allows you to explore new cultures and traditions,” said Lebanese-born attendee Nour Nahas. “I loved being at an Iranian celebration and dancing to Iranian music for the first time in my life.”

Kashi and Etemad said that they’re hopeful that Friday’s Nowruz party was only the beginning for Philadelphia’s Iranian community.

“This is a celebration for everyone not just Iranians,” said Etemad. “We want Nowruz to become a special holiday in the city—something everyone looks forward to, and where we all celebrate the arrival of spring.”

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Elissa Odeh is a Palestinian journalist from Lansdale, PA. She graduated from West Chester University with a BA in media and culture and a minor in journalism. Her work has been published in Lehigh Daily, Daily Local, and the New Orleans Review.