Twin cities Iranian Culture Festival
Celebrating iranian-americans’ rich cultural heritage
Upcoming Events
Let’s Loghme – Persian Bites Cooking Class
Perfect for those who love small plates and bold flavors, this class taught by Mina Ghorbanifarajzadeh focuses on Persian mezze-style dishes, called loghme in Farsi, that can be enjoyed as […]
Minneapolis, MN 55418 United States
Persian Poetry Night
Celebrate the soul of Persian literature with an evening of poetry, music, wine, and community.Join us as we honor the timeless words of poets like Rumi, Hafez, and others, brought […]
Minneapolis, MN United States
Tirgan Water Festival
Tirgan Water Festival by the Beach – A Splash of Persian Joy! Celebrate the ancient Persian festival of Tirgan with us on the shores of summer! Join us for a […]
Featured Twin Cities Iranian Artists and Performers
- Stories from “Iran Through Stories” – A Community Storytelling EveningOn April 6, 2025, we gathered at St. Paul for Iran Through Stories, an evening filled with heartfelt memories, reflections, and experiences from the Iranian community. Through personal stories told in both Farsi and English, we celebrated the richness of Iranian culture and life and the connections between generations, both in Iran and across Minnesota.We… Read more: Stories from “Iran Through Stories” – A Community Storytelling Evening
- Emel Sherzad’s Paintings Bring Peace and Amplify Iranian CultureMEET THE ARTIST: Emel Sherzad is a Persian artist and musician now living in Minnesota. While art has been a part of his family for generations, Sherzad has developed his own path in art as a painter. Sherzad’s pieces are constructed from layers of paint and ideas, with the final product something that is unrecognizable from his first brush… Read more: Emel Sherzad’s Paintings Bring Peace and Amplify Iranian Culture
- Nicky Torkzadeh’s Abstract Art Uplifts Nature’s Beauty and Makes a StatementNicky Torkzadeh is an artist based in North Minneapolis, originally from Iran. As a kid, art was Torkzadeh’s primary interest and as she got older, she enrolled in art classes in Iran. In the U.S., she majored in architecture but later realized she didn’t want to pursue that art form. Instead, she worked in graphic… Read more: Nicky Torkzadeh’s Abstract Art Uplifts Nature’s Beauty and Makes a Statement
- Dan Rein: Playing Iranian Instruments as an American MusicianDan Rein is an American musician who plays traditional Iranian instruments. He has studied classical Iranian music for over 25 years and plays music on a variety of Iranian instruments, including the setar and dutar. He also plays the dubanj, an instrument he created which is a cross between an Iranian dutar and a banjo,… Read more: Dan Rein: Playing Iranian Instruments as an American Musician
- Roya Nazari: Creating Powerful Art About Women’s Rights in America and IranRoya Nazari is a local artist, originally from Iran, and a student in the Masters of Fine Arts program at the University of Minnesota. Her art is often meant to ignite conversation about social issues like mental health, the environment, and women’s rights. She shared that the Women Life Freedom movement in Iran inspires some of… Read more: Roya Nazari: Creating Powerful Art About Women’s Rights in America and Iran

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The 2023 Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective programs are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.