6:00pm-8pm – Opening Night
And a viewing of Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
10:30am – Salaam and Ahvalporsi with Persian breakfast and tea
11:00am – Film screenings for children – 1001 Nights and Sam and Saam
noon – Ashe Reshte
1:30pm – Games for children with Darya Ebtehagfar and Negin Solhjoo
2:30pm – A Norouz performance by the Children of Pardis for Children
3:00pm – Storytelling by Golbarg Bashi
3:30pm – Story time and musical instruments exploration with Yekibood Children
4:00pm – Dance Performance and Air Designs by Deepa Jain
5:00pm – Reading of Mullah Nasruddin by Daniela Amini
*Haft-Seen and Featured Artwork by Azita Houshiar
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
1:30pm – Reading from Together Tea by Marjan Kamali + Q&A
2:30pm – Tea and sweets
5:30pm – Film Screening – Road to Kurdistan by Persheng Vaziri + Q&A
*Haft-Seen and Featured Artwork by Azita Houshiar
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
*Haft-Seen and Featured Artwork by Azita Houshiar
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
*Haft-Seen and Featured Artwork by Azita Houshiar
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
*Haft-Seen and Featured Artwork by Azita Houshiar
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
1:00pm- From Persia to Iran- An Illustrated Journey by Artemis Akchoti Shahbazi
7:00pm – Musical Performance by Yahya Alkhansa and Daniel Tehrani
8:00pm – Drinks
*Haft-Seen and Featured Artwork by Azita Houshiar
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
11:30am – Marzipan Mulberry Making Class taught by Azita Houshiar (limited space- RSVP required)
1:00pm – Tar and Tonbak Musical Performance by Behfar Bahadoran and Reza Sarlak
2:00pm – Tea Time
3:00pm – Food and Memory Talk by Leila Darabi
5:00pm – Tar and Tonbak Musical Performance by Behfar Bahadoran and Reza Sarlak
6:00pm – Dance Performance by Deepa Jain
7:00pm – Musical Performance by Yahya Alkhansa and Navid Kandelousi
8:00pm – Film Shorts Screening by Kamran Taherimoghaddam, Mehrnoush Aliaghaei, Negar Behbahani, Negin Sharifzadeh-Moss, Sara Zandieh and Sepideh Salehi
*From Persia to Iran- An Illustrated Journey by Artemis Akchoti Shahbazi
*Haft-Seen and Featured Artwork by Azita Houshiar
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
1:00pm – From Persia to Iran- An Illustrated Journey by Artemis Akchoti Shahbazi
4:00pm – In Conversation with Artemis Akchoti Shahbazi
5:30 – Film Screening – The Day I Became a Woman
*Haft-Seen and Featured Artwork by Azita Houshiar
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
6:00pm – With our Friends at the Annual Charshanbe Suri held at La Plaza Cultural Community Garden
*Life with the Persian Carpet Photography Group Exhibition curated by Kaveh Baghdadchi
*Haft-Seen and Donya-e Varooneh Installation by Safoura Zoroofchi
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
6:00pm – Reading from Blue Flower of Forgetfulness by Cyrus Samii
7:00pm – Drinks
*Life with the Persian Carpet Photography Group Exhibition curated by Kaveh Baghdadchi
*Haft-Seen and Donya-e Varooneh Installation by Safoura Zoroofchi
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
3:30pm – Afternoon of backgammon
4:00pm – Reading of Souren Ala’s Evocative Persian Garden
5:00pm – Screening of John Wayne film dubbed in Farsi
7:30pm – Musical Performance by Yahya Alkhansa and Navid Kandelousi
*Life with the Persian Carpet Photography Group Exhibition curated by Kaveh Baghdadchi
*Haft-Seen and Donya-e Varooneh Installation by Safoura Zoroofchi
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
3:30pm – Nowrooz Activities for children
4:00pm – Storytelling and Poetry
5:00pm – Silent Screening of Soltane Ghalbha
5;30pm – Nowrooz Playlist by Kamyar Jarahzadeh
6:45pm – Tahvil-e Sal
7:30pm – Drinks and fun
*Life with the Persian Carpet Photography Group Exhibition curated by Kaveh Baghdadchi
*Haft-Seen and Donya-e Varooneh Installation by Safoura Zoroofchi
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
1:30pm – Live broadcast from a Garden in Tehran
2:30pm – Tea and Sweets
3:30pm – Iranian Photography: 170 Year of Picturing Social Life Talk by Kaveh Baghdadchi
4:30pm – Introduction about Rostam
5:00pm – Screenings of Rostam in Wonderland by Pouya Afshar
6:00pm – Tea and Sweets
6:30pm – Screening of Persian Garden directed by Bahman Kiarostami
*Life with the Persian Carpet Photography Group Exhibition curated by Kaveh Baghdadchi
*Haft-Seen and Donya-e Varooneh Installation by Safoura Zoroofchi
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
*Life with the Persian Carpet Photography Group Exhibition curated by Kaveh Baghdadchi
*Haft-Seen and Donya-e Varooneh Installation by Safoura Zoroofchi
*Maryam Eskandari’s Installation
5:00pm – Mahi-e Sia Koochooloo Play by Mohammad Aghebati
5:00pm – Mahi-e Sia Koochooloo Play by Mohammad Aghebati
It was indeed a month of magic and madness in all the best ways possible. The events, the space and the people far exceeded all of our wildest expectations. In more ways than one, this project represented a plethora of voices, experiences, ideas, and expressions of what Iranian culture means and in the process created new windows into culture through art.
From start to finish, it was a collective endeavor, from the objects we borrowed from cousins, to the teams of individuals who committed their time and efforts to making this such a special space, and of course, through the generosity of the community who financially kickstarted this project.
We cannot thank every individual enough for their participation and willingness and are beyond-delighted to have put together this celebration of Iranian-ness.
Favorite Color: Purple
Favorite Place: Mother’s Kitchen
Favorite Ice Cream: Pistachio
Favorite Color: Midnight Blue
Favorite Time: Sunrise
Favorite Ice Cream: Soft Serve… Swirl