Chaharshanbeh Suri NYC Festival — Lower East Side
Tuesday, March 14
At this traditional ramp up to Nowruz, bonfires are lit in public for family members to "fire jump,” undergoing a celebratory transformation and preparing for the year ahead. New Yorkers get to experience this each year at the El Jardin del Paraiso community garden, where bonfires will be ready for jumping and live music will be playing. Families are encouraged to bring food to share.

Children can celebrate Nowruz at the Asia Society. Photo by the author.

Celebration of Nowruz — Upper East Side
Saturday, March 18
The Asia Society, in collaboration with Pardis for Children, Inc., presents this annual celebration, which takes over multiple parts of its Park Avenue museum. The event features live music, storytelling, dance, and arts and crafts. Kids can add their creations to a traditional giant haft seen; there are “fires” for the whole family to jump, and more.

Zahhak, The Legend of the Serpent King—Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Sunday, March 19
All ages can come to the National Sawdust for the 11th annual Persian Arts Festival's family program. Enjoy this folk tale brought to life through live music, narration and shadow puppetry by Hamid Rahmanian. Dive into the ancient story of Zahhak, a misguided prince who becomes a serpent king, from Persian poet Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, the Book of Kings. This 15-minute performance is followed by a shadow puppet-making workshop for kids and part two of the arts festival, which includes films, food, a panel discussion, and music.

Celebrate Nowruz 2017 — Soho
Sunday, March 19
Enjoy the art of mosaic-making and weave your own Persian rug at the Children's Museum of Arts alongside teaching artists during this all-day Nowruz celebration for all ages.

See dancers and more at the Persian Parade. Photo by Josef Pinlac via Instagram.

NYC Persian Parade — Manhattan
Sunday, April 30
The Persian Parade floats down Madison Avenue and puts celebratory closure to the Nowruz season. Thousands experience parading Persian dance ensembles, drummers, dignitaries, bands, and an abundance of red, green, and white floats featuring local Iranian-American businesses, bands, pageant winners, and more. If you are considering a stop at Ravagh Persian Grill, it is recommended to arrive before typical mealtime to avoid the rush.

Persian Cuisine — Citywide
After you hit up these fun outings, take the family out for some Persian food. Persian cuisine is not overly spicy and rather kid-friendly. Recommended dishes include chelo kebab koobideh (lightly spiced ground beef with basmati rice) and jujeh kabob (yummy saffron and lemon spiced chicken). If your kids are adventurous, try the lightly sweet, pomegranate chicken dish, fesenjoon, or gourmeh sabzi, a tangy stew usually cooked with lamb, herbs, kidney beans and dried lime over rice.

There are a few favorite restaurant options located throughout Manhattan, including Ravagh Persian Grill (three locations: 11 E. 30th Street in Midtown; 125 First Avenue in the East Village; and 1135 First Avenue) and Pars Grill House (249 W 26th Street in Chelsea).

Make your own Haft-Seen Table
The day before Nowruz, a traditional spread called a haft-seen, (which translates to "7 S's") is set up on a table, displaying items that begin with the letter in the Persian language that corresponds to the English letter S. Each item has a symbolic reference and serves as a reminder for what should be valued in the new year, including truth, healing, warmth, love, and happiness. Make your own at home and bring your own personal flare "to the table," or keep an eye out for them around the city. Some common items include:

1. Somagh (sumac) : Symbolizes the color of sunrise.
2. Serkeh (vinegar): Symbolizes age and patience.
3. Senjed (dried fruit from lotus tree): Symbolizes love.
4. Samanoo (sweet pudding): Symbolizes affluence.
5. Sabzeh (sprouts): Symbolizes rebirth.
6. Sib (apple): Symbolizes health and beauty.
7. Sir (garlic): Symbolizes medicine.

Top photo: Chaharshanbeh Suri is a celebration of renewal in New York City and worldwide. Photo by Tduk via CC BY-SA 4.0.