Tirgan

Toronto Summer Festival - Tammuz Summer Festival 2022 | After a seemingly never-ending wait, we are very excited to announce the in-person Tammuz Festival this summer! Mark your calendars as we look forward to seeing each of you at this three-day festival on July 15, 16, and 17 at the Meridian Arts Centre in North York. Tammuz will feature many well-known artists, children and youth programs, and a market featuring a variety of unique artisans. There will also be a variety of Iranian culinary experiences for you to enjoy as well as a teahouse. Tammuz will be different from our previous summer festivals which is why it has another name. According to credible sources like the Dehkhoda Dictionary Encyclopedia, Tammuz has different meanings in different cultures, such as the tenth Hebrew month or a Mesopotamian god. In Persian, Tammuz refers to the sweltering summer heat and was used by poets like Ferdowsi, Saadi, and Rumi. Variants of Tammuz are still in use in some Iranian dialects. In southern Khorasan in Gonabadi, “Temouz '' refers to the first month of summer, which starts with the “Chelleh” celebration of Tammuz. “Chelleh'' refers to a 40-day period. The Tammuz Chelleh was a celebration in ancient Iran based on rituals which started on the first day of the summer and lasted for 40 days. This coincides with Tirgan celebrations, which commemorates Arash, a heroic archer in Iranian legend, and shows gratitude for water amid the driest months. In ancient Iran, most summer celebrations honoured water, the sun, and harvesting during the Tammuz Chelleh. These celebrations all had similar roots. We look forward to seeing you at Tammuz festival!