Which festival involving jumping over fire is held on the last Wednesday before Nowruz?

The fire-jumping festival held on the last Wednesday before Nowruz is Chaharshanbe Suri. It is a major Iranian celebration held on the eve of the final Wednesday of the year, making it a lively prelude to the Persian New Year.

Bonfires are lit in streets, courtyards, village squares, and other open spaces. Participants traditionally jump over the flames while reciting a phrase asking the fire to take away sickness, weakness, and pallor and give back health, warmth, and energy. The ritual expresses purification and renewal as winter gives way to spring.

The festival includes more than fire-jumping. Spoon-banging, known as qashoq-zani, involves disguised participants going door to door and receiving snacks, while nuts and dried fruit called ajeel are commonly eaten. Fortune-telling traditions, including consulting poetry by Hafez, may also appear.

The name combines Chaharshanbe, “Wednesday,” with Suri, a word associated with festivity or redness. Although often described as ancient and connected with Iranian religious traditions, modern practices vary by region. It should not be confused with Yalda Night, which marks the winter solstice.