Good to know
Good to Know
- Most Nepali festivals follow the lunar Bikram Sambat calendar, so exact dates shift annually—verify dates each year before planning your visit.
- The autumn festival season (September–November) concentrates Dashain, Tihar, and related events—the richest period for cultural immersion but also peak tourism season.
- Pokhara observes some festivals on different dates than Kathmandu or the Terai plains due to geographic tradition (e.g., Holi on 2 March in hill regions).
- During major festivals like Dashain and Tihar, government offices close and many businesses adjust hours; plan accommodation and transport well in advance as hotels fill quickly.
- Several events (Fewa New Year, Street Festival) center on Lakeside—the city's tourist hub—making them easily accessible from most nomad accommodations.
- Rice Plantation Festival offers rare hands-on cultural participation; prepare for mud and playful celebration.
- Teej is predominantly a women's celebration; male visitors can observe respectfully but it is primarily a female-centered space.
- Multiple sources reference a 'Pokhara Street Festival' and 'Fewa New Year Festival' as the most well-established, organized tourist-facing celebrations; community-level festivals vary by neighborhood and year.
Major Events
Fewa New Year Festival
- Timing
- Mid-April (Nepali New Year, 12–15 April 2026)
- Location
- Champion Chowk, Fewa Lakeside
- Description
- The Hotel Association Pokhara's flagship celebration held at Fewa Lakeside. Features cultural programs with Nepali folk songs and dances, handicraft exhibitions, architectural goods displays, traditional food stalls, and opportunities to experience authentic Nepali New Year greetings.
- Attendance Notes
- Significant draw for both domestic and international visitors
Pokhara Street Festival (New Year Street Festival)
- Timing
- Late December to early January (5-day event)
- Location
- Lakeside area (pedestrian zone)
- Description
- Organized by the Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN). Transforms Lakeside into a pedestrian zone with street restaurants, food stalls offering traditional Nepali and international cuisine, cultural exhibitions, traditional dance performances (Maruni, Lakhey), craft demonstrations, and live cultural programs.
- Attendance Notes
- One of Nepal's largest festivals; hotels and restaurants fully booked during the event
Buddha Jayanti
- Timing
- May (exact date varies by lunar calendar)
- Location
- World Peace Pagoda, monasteries around Phewa Lake
- Description
- Commemorates the birth of Lord Buddha. In Pokhara, monasteries and stupas overlooking Phewa Lake are adorned with prayer flags. Devotees gather for peaceful prayers and rituals, particularly at the World Peace Pagoda. A serene expression of Buddhist faith and culture.
- Attendance Notes
- Spiritual pilgrimage destination with both local devotees and tourists
Teej Festival
- Timing
- August/September (exact date varies by lunar calendar)
- Location
- Various community gatherings throughout Pokhara
- Description
- Predominantly celebrated by Hindu women. Involves fasting for marital bliss and family prosperity. Women dress in vibrant red sarees, sing traditional songs, and dance with significant energy and devotion. Large-scale communal celebration.
- Attendance Notes
- Primarily a women-centered celebration; thousands participate in collective dancing
Dashain Festival
- Timing
- October (typically 10-day duration, exact dates vary by lunar calendar)
- Location
- Throughout city (temples, homes, public spaces)
- Description
- Nepal's longest and most important festival, commemorating the victory of good over evil. Celebrated with temple ceremonies, community gatherings, government office closures, and widespread family traditions. Autumn's most significant cultural immersion period.
- Attendance Notes
- Major national holiday; significant cultural visibility in October–November
Tihar Festival
- Timing
- October–November (immediately follows Dashain, exact dates vary by lunar calendar)
- Location
- Throughout city (homes, temples, public spaces)
- Description
- The Festival of Lights. Celebrates the goddess Laxmi (wealth and prosperity). Includes worship of animals (crows, dogs, cows, oxen) over first four days. Followed by Bhai Tika, where sisters worship brothers and brothers bless sisters for health, happiness, and protection. More colorful and festive than Dashain.
- Attendance Notes
- Extended festive period with both religious and familial significance
Holi Festival
- Timing
- March (2 March 2026 for hill regions including Pokhara)
- Location
- Pokhara Lakeside and throughout city
- Description
- The Festival of Colors marking the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. Celebrated with colored powder and vibrant street celebrations. Unique to Nepal: hill regions (Pokhara) celebrate on a different date than Terai plains.
- Attendance Notes
- Highly visual celebration visible in public spaces and streets
Thote Festival
- Timing
- September and March
- Location
- Major city areas, culminating at Naya Bazar
- Description
- A colorful, rhythmic cultural festival specific to the Gurung community. Participants assemble in traditional dress and carry traditional weapons (ceremonial, non-functional) and equipment in procession through major city areas up to Naya Bazar. Displays Gurung cultural identity.
- Attendance Notes
- Ethnic celebration; significant community participation and colorful processions
Rice Plantation Festival
- Timing
- 29 June (15 Asad in Nepali calendar, annually)
- Location
- Agricultural fields around Pokhara
- Description
- A 11-year-established agricultural tradition promoted by Pokhara tourism traders. Blends tradition with tourism as visitors participate in rice-planting ceremony on prepared mud fields. Activities include eating beaten rice with curd, singing traditional Asade songs, planting rice, and playful mud-throwing games.
- Attendance Notes
- Combines agricultural significance with tourist participation; unique experiential event
Tourism Day Celebration
- Timing
- 27 September
- Location
- Throughout Pokhara (Lakeside focus)
- Description
- Observed to give special welcome to tourists and commemorate Nepali tradition, culture, and hospitality to visiting guests. Recognized as an auspicious day in Nepali tourism. Festivals and public celebrations throughout the city.
- Attendance Notes
- Tourism-focused national holiday
Tamu Lhosar (Gurung New Year)
- Timing
- 24 December 2026
- Location
- City streets, with major presence in tourist hub areas
- Description
- Gurung community's New Year celebration. Features traditional dress, distinctive circular dances, and traditional music. Major processions through streets. Simultaneous observation of Udhauli Parwa (harvest festival marking descent from high-altitude summer grazing grounds to lower winter settlements).
- Attendance Notes
- Ethnic celebration with significant street presence and visual impact
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this signature annual events research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Pokhara
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.