Kathmandu - Preparations are in full swing for the 27th Pokhara Street Festival, scheduled to take place from 28 December 2025 to 1 January 2026, as organizers intensify nationwide publicity efforts to ensure a grand New Year celebration. The festival is being organized by the Pokhara Restaurant and Bar Association (REBAN).
As part of its promotional campaign, the organizing team has recently carried out outreach programs in Dharan, Itahari and Biratnagar of Sunsari district, inviting people from eastern Nepal to participate in the iconic street festival. Similar promotional visits are also being conducted in Janakpur and Kathmandu, aiming to attract both domestic and international visitors to Pokhara during the festive period.
According to Basanta Gautam, coordinator of the festival organizing committee, the event is being held with the objectives of promoting tourism, preserving local art and culture, and revitalizing economic activities. He said the festival will showcase Pokhara as an attractive destination for tourists throughout the New Year celebrations.
The five-day festival will feature a wide range of activities, including musical performances by local and national artists, folk duets, cultural tableaux, traditional dances, food festivals, handicraft exhibitions, and interactive games. Gautam noted that special programs such as tug of war competitions and talent shows are expected to be major crowd-pullers.
Adding to the attraction, adventure-based competitions such as boat races and waiter races will be organized in Fewa Lake, blending entertainment with Pokhara’s natural appeal.
To further encourage tourist participation, hotel and restaurant entrepreneurs will offer up to 20 percent discounts on hotel rooms and special discounts on selected food items throughout the festival period. Bishwa Raj Poudel, President of REBAN Pokhara, said these offers are aimed at making the festival more attractive and affordable for visitors.
Organizers believe that the Pokhara Street Festival, which brings together tourism promotion, cultural preservation and local economic stimulation, will play a significant role in strengthening Pokhara’s identity at both national and international levels.
A press meeting was held in Kathmandu on Tuesday to formally share festival details and extend an open invitation to the public to celebrate the New Year in Pokhara.
