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Yalda Night or Chelleh Night is an Iranian winter solstice festival celebrated on December 20th or 21st of each year. The longest and darkest night of the year is a time when friends and family gather together to eat, drink and read poetry (especially Hafez) until well after midnight.

Fruits and nuts are eaten and pomegranates and watermelons are particularly significant. The red color in these fruits symbolizes the crimson hues of dawn and glow of life. The poems of Divan-e Hafez, which can be found in the bookcases of most Iranian families, are read or recited on various occasions such as this festival and Nowruz.

Shab-e Yalda was officially added to Iran's List of National Treasures in a special ceremony in 2008.

Please join IAS for our Annual General Meeting. Luncheon followed by guest speaker presentation and Election of the Board of Directors.

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Occasionally, IAS hosts a Gala Event in Summer. On August 5th, 2023, we celebrated with the one and only Shahram Solati at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, New York.

It was a spectacular event with Live Music, Outdoor Cocktail Hour, Top Shelf Open Bar, 4-Course Dinner and of course all-night Dancing!

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Chaharshanbe Soori is an Iranian festival of the fire dance celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year of ancient Zoroastrian origin. It is the first festivity of the Nowruz Celebrations festival, the Iranian New Year.

Jumping over the Fire - Before the start of the festival, people gather brushwood in an open, free exterior space. At sunset, after making one or more bonfires, they jump over the flames, singing sorkhi-ye to az man, zardi-ye man az to, literally meaning "[let] your redness [be] mine, my paleness yours", or a local equivalent of it. This is considered a purification practice.

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Nowruz (New Day) is the Iranian New Year, also known as the Persian New Year, which begins on the spring equinox marking the first day of Farvardin, the first month of the Iranian solar calendar. It is celebrated worldwide by various groups and falls on or around March 21 of the Gregorian calendar.

Nowruz has Iranian and Zoroastrian origins; however, it has been celebrated by diverse communities for over 3,000 years.

As the spring equinox, Nowruz marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere as families gather together to observe rituals. While Nowruz has been celebrated since the 11th century CE to mark the new year, the United Nations officially recognized the "International Day of Nowruz" in 2010.

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Sizdah Be-dar also known as Nature's Day is an Iranian festival held annually on the thirteenth day of Farvardin, the first month of the Iranian calendar, during which people spend time picnicking outdoors. It marks the end of the Nowruz holidays in Iran.

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Please join us in celebrating our Mothers at our annual Mother's Day Luncheon. There will be dancing and celebration with a full-course lunch with friends and family. This event is a 12 and over ladies-only event.

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Mehregan is a Zoroastrian and Iranian Festival of Autumn celebrated to honor the yazata (angelic divinity) Mithra, which is responsible for friendship, affection and love.

Mehregan was the second most important festival, falling behind Nowruz. Due to these two festivals being heavily connected with the role of Iranian kingship, rulers were usually crowned on either Mehregan or Nowruz.