Which season begins with Nowruz, the Persian New Year?

Spring begins with Nowruz, the Persian New Year. The festival is linked to the vernal equinox, the astronomical moment when day and night are nearly equal and spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere.

Nowruz therefore combines a calendar milestone with seasonal renewal. Its name means “new day,” and celebrations commonly emphasize fresh growth, family gatherings, new clothing, symbolic foods, and visits. The exact time of the equinox determines when the new year starts, so the Gregorian calendar date can vary between March 20 and March 21.

Nowruz is celebrated across Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, the Caucasus, parts of the Balkans, and communities worldwide. Although customs differ by region, spring is a shared theme: homes are cleaned, green sprouts are cultivated, and outdoor gatherings often take place after the opening days of the holiday.

A common mix-up is treating Nowruz as a fixed Gregorian-date holiday. It is fixed to the beginning of spring in the Solar Hijri calendar, not to one unchanging date in the Gregorian calendar.