Nowruz Festivals were celebrated across the country around the time of the vernal equinox. Among the member organizations under the Turkic American Alliance umbrella organization, the American Turkish Friendship Association (ATFA) in Fairfax, Virginia, the Turkic Council of America and Eurasians (TCAE) in Houston, Texas, and a collaboration of member organizations organized under the Turkic American Federation of Midwest (TAFM) all highlighted the rich cultural traditions of Nowruz with local community festivals.
On March 16th, 2014, ATFA hosted a Nowruz Festival northern Virginia. The festival was attended by 500 Turkic Americans and a diverse group of people from Virginia, Washington, D.C., Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina.The festivities kicked off with a reception showcasing a wide array of cuisines from Turkey and Central Asian countries. The performances soon began, with Elnur Memmedov, a popular Azerbaijani singer, first taking the stage, followed by Anwar Yusuf Turani of East Turkistan. Next, the Silk Road Dance Group performed traditional and contemporary women’s dances showcasing the life, art and vibrant culture of the Central Asia region. Other artists from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan captured the audience with engaging dance performances. Lastly, Elnur Memmedov capped off the evening with a song and shared the stage with a group of children.
Similarly, during March 21st-22nd, 2014, TCAE hosted its annual Nowruz Festival in Houston, Texas. The festival was attended by people from various cultures and communities from the western region of the U.S.
Additionally, on March 23rd, 2014, the Turkish American Society of Chicago (TASC), Ahiska Turks Cultural Center (ATCC), Kyrgyz American Association (KAA) and Uzbek American Association of Chicago (UAAC) celebrated their 2nd Annual Nowruz Festival. TASC, ATCC, UAAC & KAA brought the Eurasian American communities together to celebrate this ancient festival in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. The festival was attended by diplomatic counselors, elected officials, community leaders, business, media and academia.
ATFA is a cultural organization that fosters integrity through cultural and education activities and also assists communities to integrate well into the American society. TCAE is one of six member federations under the Turkic American Alliance (TAA) whose goal is to preserve and increase cultural awareness by developing unique programs that promote ethnic and cultural understanding. TAS, ATCC, UAAC & KAA are a collaboration of member organizations under the Turkic American Federation of Midwest (TAFM).
