Persian & Iranian Events in NYC

New York's Persian and Iranian community keeps the calendar full year-round. Nowruz (the Persian New Year, around March 20) is the anchor — expect two solid weeks of celebrations across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Long Island communities, from formal galas at Lincoln Center-adjacent venues to sizdah-bedar picnics in Central and Prospect Park. But that's just the peak; every month brings live Persian music, film screenings, poetry readings, and nightlife.

You'll find classical Persian music (tar, setar, santur, and daf) at venues like Roulette, Symphony Space, and 92NY; contemporary Iranian film series at IFC Center, Film at Lincoln Center, and Metrograph — recent focus on the diaspora Iranian New Wave; Farsi poetry nights honoring Rumi, Hafez, and Forough Farrokhzad; talks and panels on Iranian art, politics, and diaspora identity; and DJ nights spinning Googoosh alongside contemporary Tehrangeles pop. Iranian-American organizations, universities, and independent producers all keep the momentum going between the tentpole holidays.

From Great Neck and Roslyn to Astoria and the Lower East Side — this is your guide to what's on. Menna gathers every upcoming Persian and Iranian event in NYC in one continuously updated guide; the list below refreshes as events are announced.