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The Australian Iranian Society of Victoria (AISOV) in Melbourne, Australia, has organised the Chaharshanbe Suri Festival (Persian Fire Festival) annually for many years. This event began around 10 years ago by AISOV and a group of families based in Melbourne. The event continued every year but was cancelled for two years due to COVID restrictions.
Last year, after this hiatus, the festival returned with the support of AISOV volunteers and with much greater fanfare than ever. More than 6,000 attendees, mainly Iranians but also people from various nationalities, gathered at Ruffey Lake Park to celebrate. The gathering enabled people from all walks of life and backgrounds to explore Persian culture, music, and food.
The event was broadcast across the world and won many fans. In attendance during the event were Lord Mayor Cr Carli Lange, Cr Laura Mayne, Cr Anna Chen, and former Cr Michelle Kleinert. Our wonderful Councillors received praise globally for their enthusiastic participation, including taking part in Persian dancing.
This year’s celebration is aiming to be an even bigger and better event. The festival will feature Iranian artists, live music, kids activities, dance performances, and a marketplace selling Iranian food and souvenirs, in response to last year’s enthusiastic turnout.
Chaharshanbe Suri is a Persian festival celebrated on the final Tuesday evening of the Persian solar year, meaning the last Tuesday evening before Nowruz (the Persian New Year). This festival represents a pre-Islamic cultural heritage rooted in Zoroastrianism, which continues to thrive in Persian culture alongside the celebration of Nowruz.
The original celebration of Chaharshanbe Suri focused on fire, a vital component of the four sacred elements in Zoroastrian beliefs. The festival symbolises the transformation from darkness to light, reflecting both the transition from winter to spring and fire’s role in removing negative energy and illness.
The most significant tradition during Chaharshanbe Suri is the act of jumping over fire (safely contained in a small tub to allow people to jump over it securely). This symbolic gesture represents ceremonial cleansing and a leap from the darkness of winter into the brightness of spring.
Prepared by The Australian Iranian Society of Victoria (AISOV)
