Celebrate March 21: Five Fascinating Holidays You Didn’t Know Existed
March 21, 2025, isn’t just another Friday on the calendar—it’s a day packed with meaningful observances that span from global awareness campaigns to delicious culinary celebrations. As Utica residents prepare for the first weekend of spring, let’s explore five remarkable holidays that make this day special and how you can celebrate them right here in the Mohawk Valley.
1. World Down Syndrome Day: Celebrating Human Diversity
World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012, with the date 3/21 symbolically representing the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome that causes Down syndrome.
For 2025, the theme is “Improve Our Support Systems,” calling on governments worldwide to enhance services for people with Down syndrome. This global awareness day aims to advocate for the rights, inclusion, and well-being of people with Down syndrome.
People with Down syndrome are all unique individuals with their own personalities, talents, and contributions to make. The day reminds us that having Down syndrome is just one aspect of who a person is—not their defining characteristic.
The most popular way to celebrate is by participating in the “Rock Your Socks” campaign, where people wear mismatched or colorful socks to spark conversations about Down syndrome. The chromosome pattern resembles mismatched socks, making this a perfect visual conversation starter.
Local Connection: The Down Syndrome Association of the Mohawk Valley hosts an annual celebration at the Utica Children’s Museum, featuring activities designed to promote inclusion and understanding. Local schools throughout Oneida County participate by wearing colorful socks and hosting educational sessions about acceptance and diversity.
2. World Poetry Day: Words That Connect Us
Established by UNESCO in 1999, World Poetry Day celebrates one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression. The day aims to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and give fresh recognition to poetry movements worldwide.
Poetry has been a fundamental form of human expression for thousands of years, with the earliest documented poetry dating back to the Epic of Gilgamesh around 2000 B.C. Today, poetry continues to resonate with people across cultures, addressing universal human experiences and emotions.
World Poetry Day is celebrated globally with poetry readings, festivals, and educational events that promote the reading, writing, and teaching of poetry. It’s also a day to honor poets past and present and revive oral traditions of poetry recitation.
Local Connection: Utica has a rich literary tradition, with the Utica Poetry Slam hosting special events at Cafe Domenico on Bleecker Street. The Utica Public Library also celebrates with poetry workshops and readings featuring local poets, including those who write in the various languages spoken throughout our diverse community.
The Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute often collaborates with local schools to showcase student poetry inspired by artwork in their collection, creating a beautiful intersection of visual and literary arts.
3. International Day of Forests: Celebrating Our Green Guardians
Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012, the International Day of Forests is observed annually on March 21 to raise awareness about the importance of all types of forests and trees for current and future generations.
The 2025 theme is “Forests and Food,” highlighting how forests contribute to food security, nutrition, and sustainable livelihoods. Forests cover one-third of the Earth’s land surface and are home to over 80% of terrestrial biodiversity.
Beyond their ecological importance, forests play a critical role in climate change mitigation, absorbing about 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually. They also provide food, medicine, and livelihoods for approximately 1.6 billion people worldwide.
Typical celebrations include tree planting campaigns, educational events, and community forest conservation activities. Many communities organize forest walks, exhibitions, and workshops to teach sustainable forestry practices.
Local Connection: The Utica Marsh Wildlife Management Area and the nearby Adirondack Park provide perfect settings for Uticans to appreciate our local forests. The Central New York Conservancy often hosts tree planting events in Utica’s parks on this day, while the Oneida County Soil and Water Conservation District distributes free tree seedlings to residents.
Local schools partner with the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry to educate students about the importance of urban trees and forest conservation in the Mohawk Valley.
4. Nowruz: The Persian New Year
Nowruz (meaning “New Day” in Persian) marks the Iranian or Persian New Year and the arrival of spring. Celebrated for over 3,000 years, this ancient festival coincides with the spring equinox on March 21 and symbolizes renewal and rebirth.
More than 300 million people worldwide celebrate Nowruz, including communities in Iran, Afghanistan, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and parts of the Middle East. In 2010, the United Nations recognized March 21 as International Nowruz Day.
Nowruz traditions include thorough house cleaning (known as “shaking the dust of the past”), setting up a “Haft-Seen” table with seven symbolic items that start with the Persian letter “س” (seen), visiting family and friends, and enjoying special foods like herb rice with fish.
The holiday emphasizes themes of hope, renewal, and the triumph of light over darkness—values that resonate across cultures and religious backgrounds.
Local Connection: Utica’s growing Middle Eastern and Central Asian communities celebrate Nowruz with cultural events at the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees. Local restaurants like Karam’s Middle Eastern Bakery often feature special Nowruz dishes during this time.
The Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute sometimes hosts exhibitions of Persian art and culture to coincide with the holiday, offering Utica residents a chance to learn about this ancient tradition.
5. National French Bread Day: Celebrating the Perfect Loaf
National French Bread Day celebrates the iconic baguette—that perfectly crusty-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside bread that has become a staple in kitchens worldwide.
The modern French baguette as we know it today emerged in the early 20th century. A 1920 French law prohibited bakers from working before 4 a.m., which led to the development of a bread that could be prepared and baked more quickly—the long, thin baguette.
French bread is strictly regulated in France, where it must contain only four ingredients: wheat flour, water, salt, and yeast. No additives or preservatives are allowed, and it must be baked on the premises where it’s sold.
People typically celebrate by enjoying fresh French bread, trying new recipes that incorporate baguettes, or even attempting to bake their own at home. The versatile bread works well for everything from sandwiches to French toast to garlic bread.
Local Connection: Utica’s rich Italian heritage means we have no shortage of excellent bakeries producing artisanal bread. Establishments like Napoli’s Italian Bakery and Cafe and Caruso’s Pastry Shop offer authentic French bread that rivals any you’d find in Paris.
The Utica Bread company in downtown Utica often hosts special demonstrations on National French Bread Day, showing visitors the art of traditional bread making. Local restaurants throughout the city feature special French bread-based dishes on their menus for the occasion.
Conclusion: A Day Worth Celebrating
March 21, 2025, offers Utica residents a unique opportunity to connect with global traditions while celebrating our local community. Whether you’re rocking mismatched socks for World Down Syndrome Day, attending a poetry reading, planting a tree, learning about Persian New Year traditions, or simply enjoying a fresh baguette, there are countless ways to make this day meaningful.
We encourage Phoenix readers to share how they celebrate these special observances. Did you attend a local event? Try baking French bread at home? Write a poem inspired by our beautiful city? Share your experiences in the comments below or on our social media pages with the hashtag #UticaCelebrates.
Remember, these holidays remind us that we’re part of both a local community and a global one—connected through our shared humanity and the traditions that bring us together.
