The full year, dated
Nepal Festival Calendar 2026: Events & Things to Do in Kathmandu
Nepal packs more festivals into a year than almost anywhere on earth — and in Kathmandu you feel every one of them. From the fifteen days of Dashain to the lamps of Tihar, the red saris of Teej and the colour storm of Holi, this is the complete 2026 festival calendar, with each festival's date, meaning, and the events you can actually go to.
Every date below is kept current for 2026. Tap any festival for the full guide and the confirmed events around it, or browse all events in Kathmandu and what's on this weekend.
Major Nepali festivals in 2026
Seasonal parties & date-night nights
How festivals work in Nepal
Nepal runs on two calendars at once. Everyday life uses the Bikram Sambat (BS) calendar — currently about 57 years ahead of the Gregorian year — while most religious festivals are timed by the lunar cycle. That's why a festival like Dashain or Holi lands on a different Gregorian date every year: it's fixed to a phase of the moon, not to a day in October or March.
The festival year peaks in autumn. Dashain and Tihar arrive back to back in October and November and effectively pause the country — offices close, people travel home, and Kathmandu goes quiet on the holiest days but buzzes in the run-up. Winter brings the Losars — three separate Himalayan new years for the Gurung, Tamang and Sherpa/Tibetan communities. Spring closes the cycle with Holi and the solar Nepali New Year on Baisakh 1.
For visitors and locals alike, festivals are the best time to see Kathmandu at full voltage — chariot processions, masked dances, temple queues, and after dark, the concerts and parties that organisers throw around each occasion. This calendar tracks both sides: the tradition and the nightlife.
Frequently asked questions
What are the major festivals in Nepal?
Nepal's biggest festivals are Dashain (the longest, in October) and Tihar (the festival of lights, in November), followed by Teej, Holi, the three Losars and Nepali New Year. Most are lunar, so their Gregorian dates shift every year — this page keeps the 2026 dates current.
Why do Nepali festival dates change every year?
Most Nepali festivals follow the lunar Bikram Sambat calendar, which doesn't line up neatly with the Gregorian year. That's why Dashain, Tihar, Teej, Holi and Losar land on different dates each year. Nepali New Year (Baisakh 1) is solar and stays close to 13–14 April.
When is Dashain in 2026?
Vijaya Dashami — the main tika day of Dashain — falls on 21 October 2026. The festival spans about fifteen days from Ghatasthapana, so the surrounding events run for a couple of weeks.
What is there to do in Kathmandu during the festivals?
Beyond the religious rituals, festival season fills Kathmandu with concerts, cultural nights, special dinners and DJ parties. Each festival page here lists the confirmed events for that occasion, updated daily as organisers add them.
Kathmandu guides
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