TEHRAN -- The city of Farsan in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province will host the fourth National Festival of Iran’s Ethnic Communities and Nomadic Tribes from September 3 to 9, with organizers planning a week of exhibitions, cultural performances and programs highlighting the country’s ethnic diversity and nomadic heritage.
The festival will be held at Ghalamestan Park, according to Masoud Aghashteh, secretary of the event. About 200 booths have been planned to showcase local souvenirs, handicrafts and products from ethnic and nomadic communities across Iran. Aghashteh said organizers have so far received applications for 170 booths from different parts of the country.
This year’s festival will place greater emphasis on children and teenagers, Aghashteh said. Dedicated booths staffed by educators will provide activities for younger visitors, with prizes to be awarded to participants at the end of the event.
The festival will also feature traditional and ceremonial performances, with nomadic communities expected to participate in presenting and selling their locally produced goods.
The 2026 edition will be held under the slogan “The Epic of Iran’s Ethnic Communities and Nomadic Tribes.” Organizers said the theme was selected in connection with the country’s current circumstances and commemorations planned for figures identified by the organizers.
For the first time, the festival will also include a competition for Iranian and local cuisine. Twenty booths will be provided 
free of charge to women without independent incomes, while winners will receive prizes following evaluation by judges.
Each day of the festival has been assigned a specific theme, including tributes to fallen heroes, Ferdowsi and the Shahnameh, Shir Ali Mardan, Bibi Maryam, unity among Iran’s ethnic and nomadic communities, and entrepreneurship and production.
A major gathering is scheduled for September 7, designated as the day of “Epic Unity and Solidarity of Iran’s Ethnic Communities and Nomadic Tribes.” Organizers expect about 150 elders, community leaders and respected figures from ethnic and nomadic communities across Iran to attend.
The festival aims to promote Iran’s cultural diversity while highlighting the economic and social contribution of nomadic communities, including their role in livestock production, agriculture, handicrafts and local industries.
The organizers also view the event as an opportunity to promote the tourism potential of Farsan and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province and to provide a platform for communities to introduce their cultural traditions and locally produced goods.
The fourth National Festival of Iran’s Ethnic Communities and Nomadic Tribes will conclude on September 9.