Santa Monica College students from the Iranian Student Club sing and dance during the Iranian New Year Celebration (AKA Nowrouz) at SMC on Thursday, March 27, 2008. Nowrouz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox (start of spring), which usually occurs on March 21. Nowrouz has been celebrated for at least 2,500 years.