A young boy is silhouetted while leaping over fire during the Nowruz Fire Festival marking the Persian New Year, in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Fire jumping is a tradition that symbolizes good health and luck for the coming year. Thousands of people attended the event hosted by the Iranian Canadian Congress of B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Thousands of people attended the the Nowruz Fire Festival Tuesday in West Vancouver, B.C., marking the Persian New Year.
Festivalgoers jumped over open fire pits at the event, hosted by the Iranian Canadian Congress of B.C., in a tradition that symbolizes good health and luck for the coming year.
Here are some scenes from the festival.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2026.
A young boy is silhouetted while leaping over fire during the Nowruz Fire Festival marking the Persian New Year, in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckA young boy leaps over fire during the Nowruz Fire Festival marking the Persian New Year, in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckA young girl is silhouetted while leaping over fire during the Nowruz Fire Festival marking the Persian New Year, in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckA young boy carrying Iran’s historic “Lion and Sun” flag leaps over fire during the Nowruz Fire Festival marking the Persian New Year, in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckA woman carrying Iran’s historic “Lion and Sun” flag leaps over fire during the Nowruz Fire Festival marking the Persian New Year, in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckA young girl leaps over fire during the Nowruz Fire Festival marking the Persian New Year, in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckPeople leap and walk over fire during the Nowruz Fire Festival marking the Persian New Year, in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckA young boy leaps over fire during the Nowruz Fire Festival marking the Persian New Year, in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl DyckA young boy leaps over fire during the Nowruz Fire Festival marking the Persian New Year, in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
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