"The tragic event that happened on 9-11 kind of pushed things in the wrong direction," he said. "As we've understood more about the events that are happening in Iraq, [we're seeing] that the bulk of the population wants democracy and freedom. It's a certain minority that does not want those things to happen."

Kamkar is a member of several organizations sponsoring a festival that is expected to draw more than 10,000 Persian-Americans to Vasona Lake County Park on April 2 and 3. April 2 is "Sizdeh Bedar"--the 13th day of the Persian New Year celebration "NoRouz."

"The number 13 is unlucky," Los Gatos resident Amir Elmjouie said. "Persians like to go out on the 13th day of the year to get this evilness away from their spirit. You are not supposed to be home ... Iranians and Persians believe nature will help you to conquer the ugliness of the 13th day."

NoRouz began at 4:33 a.m. on March 21, and people of Persian descent traditionally celebrate from that time until the large outdoor celebration. People whose ethnic roots are in not only Iran but also a number of other Middle Eastern and Asian countries also observe the holiday.

In America, Elmjouie and Kamkar said they have seen the celebration grow throughout the years, especially in the Santa Clara Valley. The area is believed to have one of the largest Iranian-American populations in the country.

Elmjouie said NoRouz is the biggest nonreligious celebration in Iran.

"The kids are off school for two weeks," he said. "It's the worst time to do business. Here, if I close my restaurant for one day, the next day maybe nobody will show up. There, everything shuts down."

Throughout the holiday period, people are expected to visit older family members to wish them a happy new year. The younger family member is then given brand-new money as a gift.

"The children love it," Elmjouie said. "This way, they visit their elders because there is motivation. One time, I made two $100 bills, one from my grandfather and one from my grandmother. I bought an Atari."

Other customs include the preparation of the "haft seen," a table on which a spread of food, flowers, coins and other items is laid. The table must include seven items that start with the Farsi letter "seen"--"s" in English.

On Sizdeh Bedar, people play sports and games, eat, dance and sing--all of which Kamkar said they will do at Vasona. He said this is the second formally organized Sizdeh Bedar in the area. It is the first at the park, but thousands of people have celebrated the holiday there in the past without any official sponsorship.

"It has the water, it has the lake, it has the park atmosphere where we can feel at home," Kamkar said.

Entertainment will be provided from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on both days of festivities.

Kamkar said he hopes people of all cultural backgrounds will attend. More than just a happy celebration, it is an opportunity to bridge cultural gaps, he said.

"I think one of the wonderful things that happens is that the more you start learning about a culture and its people, the more you see that we are alike," Kamkar said. "One of the best ways to resolve conflicts in the world is to try to understand other cultures and learn from them. And the other culture is learning from you. All it takes is a little bit of understanding as to what is important to each side."

The NoRouz festival will take place April 2 and 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Vasona Lake County Park, 333 Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos. Admission is free, but parking costs $15. Free shuttles will pick up festival attendants on University and N. Santa Cruz avenues. For more information, contact Kamkar at 408.999.0211 or visit www.baivoter.org/norouz.