Pokhara & the Annapurnas · Pokhara
Pokhara Street Festival
Each year around the turn of the year, the main Lakeside road in Pokhara closes to traffic for several days of food stalls, music stages, cultural performances and crafts, ending with New Year's Eve crowds. It is the city's biggest party and a draw for Nepali visitors from across the country.
For a few days at the end of December, Lakeside changes character. The main road along Phewa, normally busy with taxis and scooters, is closed to vehicles and lined with stalls: grilled meat and sekuwa, momo, Newar snacks, Thakali sets, sweets and drinks, alongside handicrafts, clothing and souvenirs. Stages host bands, dance groups and cultural performances from Gurung, Magar, Tharu and other communities.
The festival is organised by local tourism bodies and businesses, and draws families from Pokhara and visitors from across Nepal and India, many timing their winter holiday around it. It builds to New Year's Eve, when the crowds are thickest and the music goes late. Hotels in Lakeside are fully booked, and prices rise.
It is not a traditional religious festival but a modern city celebration, and it makes Lakeside lively and loud. If you want quiet, stay at Damside, Fish Tail Lodge or outside the city and come in for an evening. If you enjoy crowds and street food, plan two nights in the middle of it.
Tips
- Book Lakeside hotels well ahead; rooms fill and prices rise for the festival and New Year.
- Go in the early evening when the stalls are open but the crowds are thinner.
- Keep valuables secure in the crowds, especially on New Year's Eve.
- Dates and organisation change from year to year, so check current status before you travel.
Questions
When is the Pokhara Street Festival?
The Pokhara Street Festival is usually held over several days in late December, ending on 1 January, along the main Lakeside road. Exact dates and length are set each year by the organisers and have varied, and it has occasionally been cancelled or changed. Check current status before you travel and book accommodation early.
What happens at the Pokhara Street Festival?
The Lakeside road closes to traffic and fills with food stalls, craft and clothing stands, music stages and cultural performances by bands and dance groups. Families stroll, eat and listen to music, and crowds peak on New Year's Eve. It is a modern street celebration rather than a religious festival.
Is the Pokhara Street Festival crowded?
Yes, especially in the evenings and on New Year's Eve, when Lakeside is packed with visitors from across Nepal and India. Daytime and early evening are calmer. If you prefer quiet, stay outside central Lakeside and visit for an evening. Keep valuables secure and agree meeting points with your group.
Is the Pokhara Street Festival good for families?
In the daytime and early evening it is family-friendly, with food, music and space to walk on the closed road. Later at night, especially on New Year's Eve, crowds and noise grow, which may be too much for young children. Keep children close and agree a meeting point in case you get separated.