26th Pokhara Street Festival starts from December 28

KATHMANDU, Dec 18:The Pokhara Street Festival will be hosted in the Lakeside area of Pokhara, the tourism capital. The 26th Pokhara Street Festival will take place in the Lakeside area of Pokhara from December 28 to January 1. 

At a press conference in Kathmandu on Wednesday, the Restaurant and Bar Association (REBAN) Pokhara stated that it will hold a street festival to celebrate the English New Year. The street celebration is being arranged with the goal of making it a destination for domestic and international tourists celebrating the English New Year. The festival is being held in an area of ​​about three kilometers in the Lakeside area of ​​Pokhara.

REBAN has been conducting street festivals in Pokhara, the tourism capital, for 25 years.

According to REBAN, effort is being done to make the festival, which is being planned under the slogan 'Let's eat on the street, dance on the street, and have fun on the street', more attractive with the changing times. 

REBAN has stated that Nepali will receive up to a 20% discount on hotels and 15% discount on paragliding  during the Pokhara Street Festival. On the occasion of the festival, up to 20 percent discount will be given on the price list of restaurants at the street festival.

"The Pokhara area used to be deserted in winter, but since we started the Pokhara Street Festival 25 years ago, there has been a rush of tourists," said Bikash Bhattarai, the festival's coordinator. "The festival has contributed to the economy of the entire country."

Overall, the street festival has evolved into an effective tool for increasing local economic activity, generating foreign exchange, and creating employment.

According to Naresh Bhattarai, previous president of REBAN Pokhara, the street event attracted 500,000 domestic and foreign tourists last year alone. He predicts that approximately 500 thousand tourists will attend the festival this year.

Bishwo Raj Poudel, president of REBAN Pokhara, stated that the event will benefit not only Pokhara but the entire national economy.

The Pokhara Street Festival's primary features will be endangered cultural programs from several ethnic groups, original costume exhibits, tableau competitions, national and international food demos, and music live performances.

REBAN has stated that in the sports sector, a boat race, waiter race, tug of war, momo, sausage eating competition, awareness-raising street play, selfie photo booth, talk show program on Pokhara's tourism development, promotion, opportunities and challenges, and exhibitions with a focus on local handicrafts, paintings, sculptures, and agricultural products from around Pokhara will be held.

According to REBAN, 50,000 beds are available in over 700 hotels in Pokhara for the New Year.