The Barrie Persian Association will be hosting its second annual Yalda event tonight to celebrate the longest and darkest night of the year.
Yalda, which actually falls on Dec. 21 this year, begins when the sun sets on the last day of fall and continues until the dawn of the first day of winter, or first day of Maah e Dey.
Tonight's event starts at 7 p.m. at the Barrie and District Association of Realtors (BDAR) conference room in the city's south end to celebrate the Shabe Yalda, or Yalda night.
Barrie Persian Association director Samira Rashidian-Zadeh says Yalda is a big tradition and recalls memories from her childhood.
“This night is all about gathering with family, eating, dancing and poetry,” she told BarrieToday. “I remember when I was a child, it was winter and cold, so we would all sit in a warm room and the grandparents would read the poems for us from the Hafez and it was such a beautiful time.”
The Divān of Hafez is a collection of poems written by the Iranian poet Hafez.
Yalda remains as one of the most ancient festive ceremonies and has been celebrated in Iran for centuries since the time of the Persian Empire. Besides Iran, Yalda is celebrated in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. Some ceremonies similar to Yalda are also celebrated in Pakistan and northern India at about the same time of year.
Rashidian-Zadeh said that, as of 2016, there were 830 people in Simcoe County whose first language was Farsi, the traditional language in western Iran. She also says that number has gone up a lot in the last five years.
“The Barrie Persian Association is here for people who are trying to fit into a new community and to help celebrate our traditions with each other, but also show them to other Canadians,” Rashidian-Zadeh said. “While we enjoy being together for a night like Yalda, teaching others about our culture is even better.”
The event tonight will also include local dignitaries, community advocates and other ethno-cultural groups as special guest speakers. The event will begin with speeches, followed by dinner buffet, a photo shoot, DJ and poetry reading from The Divan of Hafez. Organizers say health protocols will be followed.
Tickets are $50 for adults and $20 for kids 12 and under.
