The Persian Parade in NYC // it's the Year of 2575 (2016)

The Persian Parade in NYC // it’s the Year of 2575 (2016)

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In honor of Spring and the Persian new year 2575, Madison Avenue was packed with proud Middle Easterners celebrating the Persian parade. A colorful sea of green, red, and white — my mom would have loved this! Persian tunes spread through Midtown from 38th to 26th streets ending with a Persian festival — wonderful vendors took up 26th Street near Madison Square Park, where more Persian personalities and melodies blasted into the spring air!

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People from all ages joined — I loved the kids chanting “Iran” — it’s so important to understand where we come from, what our parents sacrificed in order for us to have better opportunities, and truly knowing our culture — I mean it’s so loud, proud, and colorful!

 

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The parade ended at 26th Street where a festival of Persian foods, more music, and people greeted us stretching to Madison Square Park  ♥ vendors serving Persian cuisine from kabobs to sweets took to 26th street.

 

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The lines for food where so long and coming from every angle (side). These kids enjoying the view of their kabobs being cooked.

 

TIP: This smell will get stuck and linger on your clothes for a while — not necessary a bad thing to smell like kabob LoL

 

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Today, Sunday April 17th, 2016 — has been one of the nicest most warmest days we’ve had all year in New York. Such a picture worthy day — good to be out!

 

You could find some of the traditional snacks and sweets at Super Jordan from fresh sour fruits to Persian ice cream.

 

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This is by far the most Persians I’ve seen in Manhattan and it made me feel so in touch with my roots — best of all I get to share it with my fiancĂ© who has embraced my culture so lovingly.

 

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At the same time, while we were sitting and enjoying our food I came to realize how much I undervalued a similar experience my mom made me and my two siblings be a part of. We’d go to so many events, picnics, festivals and were just surrounded by all things Persian — I love that now but used to give her such a hard time for going — sorry mom.

 

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