A 3000-year-old celebration is coming to Wollongong's Crown Street Mall for the second time.
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Iranian, Afghani and Kurdish community members will celebrate Nowruz, which recognises the March equinox, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere.
Wollongong City Council has joined with the community partners to host the celebration, which is the biggest secular event in dozens of countries in the Middle East and East Asia with 300 million people participating around the world.
Illawarra Iranian Association committee member Mansoor Rasekhi invited Middle Eastern and non-Middle Eastern residents to come enjoy the dances, live music, art displays and sample the food of Iran and Afghanistan on Thursday from 6pm-9pm.
"The beauty about Nowruz is that it's a non-religious, non-political event," he said. "It has become a reason for people from different backgrounds and countries to unify.
"We have been celebrating the event in our communities and with our families for years.
"Last year we had the chance to introduce the celebration to the larger Wollongong area. It was quite a successful event.
"It brings dance, food and music together and we want to share it with the Wollongong community who are not Iranian, Afghani or Kurdish."
Nowruz traditions include a major house 'spring clean' or 'shaking the house' as referred to by Iranians and Afghanis, buying new clothes and flowers, special home decorations and visiting elders, family members and friends' house to give and receive gifts.
"It is very similar to a Christmas time in Australia," Mr Rasekhi said. "The event is all about nature so everyone can join in."
Wollongong Acting Lord Mayor David Brown said Wollongong was a great multicultural city and the council wanted to celebrate the city's diversity.
"The Iranian, Afghani and Kurdish groups are part of our community and we want to have a great night with them," he said.
"For people who are not part of those community groups, come and learn about someone's else's community you don't know about."