World's largest Iranian Festival comes to Toronto again
Home to more than 100,000 Iranian immigrants, including two members of the Canadian Parliament and one member of the Ontario Parliament, Toronto will host again, for the fifth time, a most rewarding experience for anyone curious or interested in Iranian culture. This summer (July 27-30) more than 150,000 cultural enthusiasts are expected to attend Tirgan Festival on Toronto’s scenic lakefront to celebrate Iranian art, culture and diversity. As in previous festivals in 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2015, Tirgan 2017 will remain true to Tirgan’s ancient roots in showcasing the tremendous ethnic diversity within Iran by celebrating the country’s music, dance, theatre, cinema, literature, the visual arts and culinary excellence and diversity.
Tirgan 2017 will showcase the best in Iranian art and culture in Toronto Harbourfront Centre & The Distillery District for four days. The program entails performances and presentations in music, dance, history, literature, theater, cinema, visual arts and special programs for children and youth. Only 10 percent of the events are ticketed and the rest are open to public free of charge.
According to Mehrdad Ariannejad, Tirgan's President and one of its founders, who spoke with Kodoom reporter in 2015, Tirgan is also unique, and perhaps a record setter among ethnic festivals, in the number of young volunteers it engages. In 2015, some 300 volunteers, mostly young first or second generation Iranian Canadians, dedicated hours of their time to serve a higher cause of promoting the cultural heritage they felt proud of. Ariannejad sees this aligned with one of his many long term visions for Tirgan, which is fostering a culture of team work and community engagement in the next generation of Iranian Canadians.
Another of Ariannejad's dreams is for Tirgan to one day reach 1 million visitors and turn into the largest cultural support organizations for all independent Iranian artists in diaspora.
As in previous years, most Tirgan events are free, such as dance performances, music concerts, exhibitions, film screenings, cooking demonstrations, and children's activities. The public can also visit the Iranian Bazaar (traditional flea market), Taste of Iran (food tasting) and Traditional Persian Tea house. A select list of events can be found on the organizer page on Kodoom.com, or by searching under keyword Tirgan in Kodoom.com's search box. The complete list of Free and ticketed events is shown on the festival's official website www.tirgan.ca (link).
Among these year's attendees are Canadian officials, as well as Kiosk the Band, Mojgan Shajarian and Ensemble, Azar Nafisi, Dr. Abbas Milani, Lily Afshar, Varashan Ensemble, Shahrokh Moshkinghalam, Zuze, The Persis, Ana Bayat, Majid Derakhshani and Andalib Ensemble, Silk Road Dance Company, Rana Mansour, and many other artists and performers.
The 2017 festival, as in previous years, is organized by Iranian Canadian Centre for Art and Culture (ICCAC), a not-for-profit, non-partisan and non-religious organization in collaboration with the Harbourfront Centre.
Kodoom.com was acknowledged as a media affiliate in previous years' festivals.
Quick Facts about the Festival
Confirmed Artists: 200+
Number of Volunteers: 300+
Free Performances: 90+
Number of expected Visitors: 150,000
The ancient origins of Tirgan
There are many legends on the origins of Tirgan. One is associated with the legend of the arrow (Tir), a reference to ‘Arash of the swift arrow,’ who was the best Iranian archer of ancient times. To settle a land dispute, it was stipulated that Arash should ascend Mount Damavand, and discharge an arrow whose landing location would determine the boundary between the two kingdoms, Iran and Turan. Arash climbed the mountain, and discharged an arrow, the flight of which continued from the dawn of day until noon. The arrow finally fell on the banks of the Jeyhun (the Oxus), and the boundaries of Iran expanded beyond all expectations, resulting in the inclusion of multiple cultures into the nation. This development led to the birth of Tirgan festival, a celebration of diversity.
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