On Sunday, July 14, several hundred members of the Iranian Community of Manitoba (ICM) came out to Crescent Drive Park to celebrate the Tirgan Festival. ICM President Arian Arianpour estimates that over a quarter of their 2,000-strong community showed up to join the festivities.
Held from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., picnic sites 1, 2, 3 and 4 were dotted with activity areas that included a bouncy castle, a basketball booth, tents where freshly-popped popcorn and beverages were served, an arts and crafts tent, and the tent for the main program and performances. Attendees made a beeline to get their cup of saffron-infused Persian ice cream, the festival’s special dessert.
The festival itself originates from an ancient Iranian legend about how Iran and Turan, two long-standing opposing empires, decided to declare peace by drawing the boundaries between their two territories. 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. Arianpour tells the rest of the story in the video below:
The event also co-celebrated the culmination of Persian language classes, with graduates called to the stage to receive their certificates. On hand to witness the proceedings were representatives from the provincial and federal government such as MLAs Jennifer Chen (Fort Richmond), David Pankratz (Waverley) and Mark Wasyliw (Fort Garry). For the federal level, MP Terry Duguid of Winnipeg South graced the occasion with his presence.
In addition to leading his community, Arianpour works as a project manager for Immigration Partnership Winnipeg (IPW), leading the two sector tables of Ethnocultural-led Mental Health and the Newcomer Ethnocultral Youth Council of Winnipeg. His colleagues from IPW, Executive Director Reuben Garang and Project Manager Kris Ontong (right), also came by to attend the celebration.