KATHMANDU: A division football outfit Friends Club and Nepal River Conservation Trust are jointly organising the 17th Bagmati River Festival on August 19.

The main objective of the festival — which is promoted by Nepal Tourism Board — is to conserve Bagmati River apart from raising awareness of its importance, informed the organisers at a press meet on Thursday.

The festival includes rafting, heritage cycle rally, raft decoration challenge, inter-school painting competition, rikshaw and horse riding events among others.

The event will be held at Bagmati Bridge in Kupondole.

As the day also coincides with 223rd week of Bagmati cleaning campaign, the same number of lights will be lit.