Kathmandu, December 14:

The Pokhara chapter of Restaurant and Bar Association Nepal (REBAN) will hold the 10th Pokhara Street Festival from December 28 to January 1 to highlight Pokhara as New Year Destination.

“Since nine years we’ve been organising the festival, buut this year will be special, with programmes like paragliding and cultural events for the promotion of Nepali culture and tradition,” said Pokhara REBAN coordinator Gopi Krishna Bhattarai.

He said the festival will focus on internal and external tourism. As most tourists fly to Thailand and Goa to celebrate New Year, this time the increase in the number of tourist arrivals has raised hope that this effort will be successful in making Pokhara the Destination Paradise in future.

REBAN member Surya Bahadur Bhujel said, “We will organise fireworks on New Year’s eve, which will surely be exciting and new for our visitors this time.” He added that the street festival creates full house occupation due to increased number of tourists at the time.

The street festival is being conducted in a circuit of 3km street on the lakeside, from Fishtail Gate Lake Side and Democracy Chowk up to Dihi Lakeside, Pokhara.

The main attraction of the festival will be cultural programs, food fest, boat race, waiter race, elephant ride, tug-of-war competitions, live band, folk music and dance, tourist race, horse riding, fun games for children,slow bike race, paragliding and acrobatic show, said organisers.

According to Pokhara REBAN, the total investment during the festival will be around Rs 38 lakh and it is expected that there will be a collection of Rs 40 lakh from the sponsors.

Security arrangements will be very tight while the medical and hygiene factors during the street festival, which is being sponsored by United Sprinters Nepal Pvt Ltd and Gorkha Brewery Pvt Ltd and promoted by Nepal Tourism Board, will also be meticulously monitored.