Celebrating Nowruz - Persian New Year

Nowruz, or the Persian New Year marks the end of the old, and the beginning of the new. Join us at the Space Centre and celebrate Nowruz and the start of Spring. Learn more about Persian cultural and scientific perspectives on the night sky and participate in fun activities with the family.

Enjoy refreshments, live music, dance, live science demonstrations, and a special presentation on the history of Nowruz in the Planetarium Star Theatre.

This is a family-friendly event. We recommend children be ages 7+.

Ghazal Torres will share the ancient history of Nowruz and take us on a celestial tour with stories and scientific observations made by Ancient Persian astronomers with our Astronomer, Marley Leacock in the Planetarium Star Theatre. Accompanying this presentation will be music and dance to celebrate the rich cultural traditions of Nowruz.

Ghazal Torres is an Iranian Canadian and American who immigrated to Vancouver from Iran in 1984. Her passion for music, culture, and the arts motivates her to get involved with cultural festivals and events around the city of Vancouver.

Founded by Pooneh Alizadeh (Mehrbanoo) and established in 2004, the Academy of Middle Eastern Dance embraces both modern and traditional forms of dance such as: Persian Classic Dance, Sama, Contemporary Folk Dance, Traditional Iranian Dance, Lyrical, Fusion, Modern, Pop, Egyptian and Bellydancing.
Bardia and Reza Sadeghi are brothers who are renowned musicians of classical and modern Iranian music. Bardia is a gifted percussionist, singer, songwriter, teacher and musical author. He leads "Dafan Band", the first Iranian percussion band in North America. Reza is a skilled santour player, music teacher, composer and arranger. He has dedicated many years to the art of sound recording and mixing.

6:00pm: doors open

6:30pm - 7:30pm: Explore the Cosmic Courtyard Gallery exhibit space, and enjoy food and refreshments.

6:30pm: Live science demonstration in the GroundStation Canada Theatre

7:00pm: Live science demonstration in the GroundStation Canada Theatre (same demo repeated).

7:30pm: Nowruz Planetarium Star Theatre Presentation

9:00pm: Live science demonstration in the GroundStation Canada Theatre (same demo repeated)

: Chef Ayoub Hosseini and his son Amir Hosseini launched Ayoub’s in 2009 and have been roasting nuts to perfection, by hand with artisanal craftsmanship to bring a little flavour of Iran to Vancouver. They are well known for infusing North American snack time with a Persian twist: fresh, dry-roasted nuts and fruits.
, founded by Kiyan Seyedi, is one of the top business law firms in Vancouver, BC. They specialize in a broad range of areas including Mergers and Acquisitions, Business Immigration, Litigation and Disputes, Contracts, Incorporations, Construction Law, Real Estate transactions, IP and Copyright. Their team serves entrepreneurs with tailored legal solutions and strategic guidance. Fulcrum Law is dedicated to fostering growth, innovation and shared success within the entrepreneurial community.
: A family-owned bakery crafting delectable delights nestled in the heart of West Vancouver that has been a cherished fixture in the community since 1997.

Online tickets sales will end at 4:00pm on Friday, March 15th.

Remaining tickets will be available for purchase at the door before the event begins.

Ample paid parking is available in front of the Space Centre building (Parking Lot #60 on the ZipBy app).

Please note the parking lot and its prices and services are managed by Easy Park.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, Canada