Tirgan Festival

The Tirgan Festival (Persian: جشنواره تیرگان) is a biennial four-day celebration of Iranian arts and culture held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

[2] Originally showcased under the name, Under the Azure Dome, Tirgan 2006 celebrated Nowruz (the Persian New Year) as well as Iranian arts and culture on a mass scale.

With more than 70 performances by over 150 artists from around the globe, organized by over 300 volunteers, Tirgan 2011 attracted 120,000 visitors to become the world's largest Iranian festival.

Arash, the best archer in the Iranian army, was chosen to ascend Mount Damavand to shoot an arrow, with the landing location determining the boundary.

[citation needed] Tirgan relies primarily on donations from the community, grants from the federal, provincial, and municipal tiers of the Canadian Government, and corporate sponsorships.

[citation needed] The 2011 festival highlights included performances by Nima Kiann's Les Ballets Persans, the folk musical group Shanbehzadeh Ensemble, contemporary dance by Ida Saki, Iranian rock bands King Raam and Radio Tehran.

Designed to include a variety of forms and styles these programs incorporate a blend of workshops, panel discussions, lectures, tours, interactive installations and exhibitions to engage, educate and entertain.