Take part in our cultural and creative community events celebrating Persian New Year and the arrival of spring, including exhibitions, music, family activities, poetry, a bazaar and more.
Our Nowruz Festival, created with the guidance of our Artist/Curator Mehrdad Aref-Adib, is a community-wide creative celebration of Persian New Year and the arrival of spring, a moment to come together, share stories and find connection as the seasons turn.
Nowruz is a 14 day tradition enjoyed for more than 3,000 years by over 300 million people worldwide, particularly across Western Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea Basin, the Balkans, and South Asia. Deeply rooted in Persian culture, Nowruz is marked by renewal, hope and time spent together with friends and family. The Nowruz festivities culminate after 13 days on Sizdeh Bedar, also known as Nature's Day, during which people spend time picnicking outdoors to keep bad luck at bay.
We are very aware that current events in the region are causing worry for many, particularly those with family, friends or cultural ties there, and for anyone concerned about the wider global impact. After careful thought, the Nowruz Festival at Lauderdale House will go ahead as planned.
Like all celebrations for the new year, Nowruz focuses on hope for a better tomorrow, a brighter day to come, and wishes of health, happiness and wellbeing for loved ones. Our Nowruz Festival comes from the significance Waterlow Park holds to local families and friends during these celebrations. With so much threatening to divide us, coming together to honour and share community, arts and heritage seems even more important. We open our doors to everyone, whether you observe Nowruz each year, are discovering Persian culture, holidays and traditions for the first time, or just want to join in.
All events will take place as scheduled, and we simply ask that the festival remains a safe space for shared cultural experience, rather than a forum for polarising political or religious debate.
Find all the activities and dates below, with more events coming soon, as well as a message from our curator at the bottom of the page. Please see the Waterlow Park page for additional information about the Park from Camden Council.
