What Nowruz is

The Persian new year, kept at the March equinox for more than three thousand years and celebrated across Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Kurdistan and the Caucasus.

It is on the UNESCO intangible heritage list, and its date is astronomical rather than fixed — it falls at the exact moment of the equinox.

When it falls, and why the date moves

The countdown at the top of this page is live, and the date beneath it is the next occurrence. This is a fixed date: it falls on the same day of the month every year, so only the weekday changes.

It is grouped here under Cultural, alongside the other observances that share its calendar.

What is coming up next

Once this date passes, the countdown moves on according to the recurrence rule described above. Calculated lunar dates remain estimates until the relevant calendar or local authority confirms them. See the full list of upcoming events, or use the countdown timer for a duration of your own.