Persian New Year Festival @ The Persian Center

This is an OK event held every year in Berkley. Tradition dictates that you jump over small wood fires or tumble weeds (which burn very brightly) instead you are treated to jumping over Duraflame fire logs which give off black smoke and make you stink. The food and music are OK. Hard to park and quite crowded.

We finally got to check out Chahar Shanbeh Souri to celebrate Persian New Year. I found out about it on chowhound last year and made sure to put it on my calendar for this year. It was Tues. 3÷18÷08.
We took Bart to Downtown Berkeley and walked down about 3 – 4 blocks to Durant Ave. The place was crazy busy with DJ Aykut & DJ Dr. T spinning very loud music. There was a flyer saying 4 Shanbeh Soori After Party 9:30p-Close the DJs were going to be at Pasand Lounge, 2280 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley a 5 min. walk from the Persian Center.
People line up around the Persian Center to buy food. There were Kabob sandwiches: chicken or beef wrapped like a burrito w/​rice inside & a small half tomato & water or soda for $ 10. Chicken was dry and boring to eat. You could also get a noodle soup for $ 5-​very minty w/​a sauce another table had & even some sumac you could add or some chopped onions. Soup was ok, hubby liked it more.
For dessert Golnazar Persian ice cream sandwiches were $ 3. It’s Saffron ice cream w/​pistachio. Just ok w/​thin crispy wafer like cookie to sandwich the ice cream. Pre-​packaged. They also had a 1-​pint tub of Faloudeh for $ 3. It was frozen solid when A. tried to eat it, he had to wait about 15 min to finally try it, he finished it so it must have been ok.
The best part was the jumping over the small fires. The line was Crazy long, but it moved fast, near the fires the line finally breaks into 2 lines and you can jump over 3 small flames. Almost anyone can jump over the fire. we did and it was FUN.
Then we left, still Recommended at least once.

Chahrshanbeh Souri @ The Persian Center in Berkeley
NARRATIVE
A few years ago before sleepover with Houman, Michelle and I pestered him about No Rooz and all the festivities that went along with the celebration of the Persian New Year.
As members of a multi-​culti friendship tribe we begin the New Years season on December 31^st and then continue on through March until New Years has exhausted itself into Springtime.
Houman mentioned fire jumping. I was intrigued and since I hadn’t been to Burning Man in a few years, I was called to the fires!
CONTACT INFORMATION
The Persian Center
2029 Durant Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94 704
Phone: (510) 848‑0264
HOURS
Tuesday before Vernal Equinox, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
PRICE RANGE
Inexpensive. Traditional Persian cuisine is sold to support the event and the center.
SUMMARY
This Zorastrian custom dates back to 1300 B.C. It celebrates one of the last evenings of the year and is symbolized by fire so that people can see their way into the new year.
Bonfires are lit because they are purifying and can light our way into the new year.
In Berkeley Durant is lined with people of all ages talking, laughing, dancing, wishing greetings upon each other, doing the traditional Persian double-​cheeked kisses hello and good-​bye.
Downtown Berkeley is a great venue for the event. Behind Barnes and Noble what is normally a quiet side-​street is blocked off and filled with Persian music and flooded with lights. Two sets of bonfires are lit to keep the celebration moving.
The DJ and MC are pounding out Persian favourites and new remixes.
Parents jump with their young ones who look wary of going near the flames. Sweethearts jump in tandem. Frat boys try to outleap one another in side-​by-​side races.
As the spring crisp air fills your lungs, you look up past the buildings into the deep blue night sky. The moon is lit and the stars begin to speckle the sky.
All the while you’re bundled in your coat, talking with your friends, and rehearsing the Persian phrase while waiting your turn to jump the bonfires:
(Sorkhi-​e to az man) Give me your beautiful red colour
(Zardi-​e man az to) And take back my sickly pallor!
Houman wrote it down for us the first year we went. Last year he sent us a reminder and the group of us split between pronouncing it in English and pronouncing it in Persian.
Afterwards we all met up at a Chinese restaurant to finish out the evening’s festivities. More laughter, more stories. More good times.
Don’t let the year slip without celebrating another new beginning. Jump the fires on Tuesday night to ring in No Rooz!
SERVICE
Volunteers are very helpful with guiding newbies to the fire-​jumping lines. The atmosphere is FESTIVE! Party down, Persian-​stylie!
REST ROOMS
Port-​o-​potties by the fire-​jumping area or local eateries and bars if you plan ahead.
SUGGESTION?
Pronunciation guides for the Persian-​challenged.