Norooz Spring Festival at Union Square, San Francisco

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In collaboration with Norooz Outreach, Diaspora Arts Connection was honored to partake in the inaugural Norooz Spring Festival in San Francisco on March 9, 2019. A few thousand people gathered at San Francisco's Union Square to celebrate the upcoming Persian New Year with each other. The event was kicked off by our Master of Ceremonies Roya Soleimani Winner, and was addressed by Alex Lazar, Director of Neighborhood Services at San Francisco Mayor's Office.

The pouring rain of the early morning gave way to a drier day, at times breaking into gorgeous sunshine. Dozens of artists participated in the event, making it a visual feast for all who came. Dancers from Nava Dance Collective, Niosha Dance Academy, and Beshkan Dance Academy, along with musicians Abbos Kosimov and @Amir Abbas Etemadzadeh performed at our event. Additionally, musicians Maruf Noyoft, Kele Nitoto, and several others stopped by our music booth and jammed together.

Sara Pisheh Design had created the Norooz symbols table (haft-seen), and Chef Hanif Sadr of Komaaj demonstrated how to make appetizers from Northern Iran. Calligrapher Arash Shirinbab demonstrated Persian calligraphy and @Fateme Rezaeefar demonstrated Persian miniature. San Francisco's Balloons A Go-Go provided face painting and balloon artistry for the kids, and artist Mahsa Shoghi and volunteers Nastaran Karimi Danalou and Atefeh Eftekhari, with the help of Norooz Outreach member Raana Irani managed the egg decorating station.

This event could not have happened without the generous sponsorship and donations from The HAND Foundation, The Nasiri Foundation, Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies, San Francisco State University, California Lithographers, Lily Sarafan, Nima Asgharbeygi, Bobby Yazdani, Matt & Candace Zaheri, Persian Center, Roozbeh Jafarzadeh, and Zareh & Associates.

We would like to thank the 40 volunteers who made this event a successful reality. Special gratitude to Norooz Committee team members, Noosheen Hashemi, Raana Irani, Laya Zare, Kate Nowrouzi, Amir Hossein Delgoshaie, and Mohammad Hekmat for their vision and friendship, and especially to Laya Zare for her dedicated and comprehensive help with the electronic and print art design for the event and to Aira Bagheri for designing the Norooz Symbols (Haft Seen) banners. Thank you to Borhán Oskoorouchi, Nasrin Hashemi, Bahare Gh, Tahereh Khorram, Farhad Taghibakhsh, Laili Javid, Shabnam Parang and Salma Kashani whose help and advice made this event a possibility. Thank you Samira Akbari for designing the picture frame for photography.

Golnazar Gourmet Ice Cream Inc, MehrBanoo Catering, and Orchidpersiancatering provided food and desserts to our visitors all day.

Special thanks to San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department and their staff for their kind assistance.

Video by Reza Kabiri

Facebook Event Page: facebook.com/events/295906634324920/
diasporaartsconnection.org
noroozoutreach.org/

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