Nowruz 2026 marks the Persian New Year at the spring equinox.

Nowruz falls on March 20, 2026 at 10:46 a.m. ET and marks the spring equinox; it is an ancient Persian festival observed across Iran and beyond as a time of renewal.

Nowruz marks the Persian New Year at the precise moment of the vernal equinox. It falls this year on March 20, 2026. The festival has deep roots in modern-day Iran and is celebrated across the Balkans, Central Asia and many diaspora communities. The observance centers on themes of renewal, rebirth and the rhythms of nature. Key details: - More than 300 million people mark Nowruz across multiple countries. - This year Nowruz begins March 20, 2026, at 10:46 a.m. ET, timed to the spring equinox when day and night roughly equalize. - The word "Nowruz" means "new day" and the celebration is at least 3,000 years old, with some estimates reaching 4,500 years. - Common customs include Chaharshanbe Suri fire-jumping on the last Tuesday of the year, preparing a Haft-Sin table with seven symbolic items, reading poetry aloud at the exact moment, and sharing a meal such as sabzi-polo-ba-mahi (herbed rice with fish). - Nowruz unfolds over 13 days and concludes with Sizdah Be-dar, when families picnic outdoors and often release sprouted grains into water. - Nowruz is treated as a secular cultural holiday, inscribed by UNESCO and observed by the United Nations as International Nowruz Day; in Iran, schools and workplaces often close for about ten days. Summary: Nowruz begins at the astronomical equinox and starts a 13-day cultural observance rooted in Persian history and seasonal renewal. This year’s timing is March 20, 2026 at 10:46 a.m. ET, and families observe longstanding rituals from Haft-Sin displays to outdoor picnics on Sizdah Be-dar. For many Iranian families the timing is bittersweet after a period of state violence that was followed by war.