Dashain & Tihar Party Guide: Where to Celebrate in Kathmandu

Introduction to Dashain & Tihar Party Guide

There is a particular kind of evening in Kathmandu that only happens twice a year. The tika has been received, the sel roti plates are empty, and the cousin you haven’t seen since last autumn is sitting across from you, already texting someone about “what’s the plan tonight?” The house is warm and the family has had its day. Now a group of friends wants to turn the festival into something louder.

That moment is what this Dashain & Tihar party guide is for. Most pages about Nepal’s two biggest festivals will tell you what Vijaya Dashami means and which temple to visit. Few tell you what to do when you want to celebrate with music, a dance floor and a table full of people you love, and how to do it without clashing with the rituals that make the season what it is.

Here you’ll find the 2026 dates, a night-by-night read of Tihar, the real options for celebrating in Kathmandu, and the practical details (booking, dress, ID, getting home) that decide whether your night goes smoothly.

The 2026 Dates, Sorted Out

Festival dates follow the Nepali lunar calendar, so they shift every year. They also get misreported. Some sites list Laxmi Puja a day off, and some mix up Kukur Tihar and Gai Tihar. Here is the clean version for 2026, matched to the government’s holiday notice.

Dashain 2026

The Dashain public holiday ran from 17 to 23 October.

Tihar 2026

The national Tihar holiday runs Sunday 8 November to Thursday 12 November, which includes the day after Bhai Tika. That last detail matters for nightlife, and we’ll come back to it.

Since you’re reading this on the cusp of Tihar, Dashain 2026 has already wrapped up. Keep the Dashain section below for next year’s planning, and read the Tihar sections as your live plan.

What Kathmandu Actually Feels Like During Festival Weeks

Anyone who has lived through a Dashain in Kathmandu knows the rhythm. In the days before the holiday block, buses fill, ticket counters get crowded, and a large share of residents head for home villages and family houses across the country. Shops and offices go quiet. Streets that are normally gridlocked suddenly have space.

Tihar feels different. It is lights-first and city-first. Homes are decorated with marigold garlands and rows of diyo, rangoli appears at doorsteps, and the Laxmi Puja evening brings a glow to even ordinary lanes. Nepal Tourism Board’s Kathmandu Valley page is a good starting point if you’re visiting from outside and want the cultural backdrop.

Here is the practical bit nobody mentions. On the biggest ritual days (Vijaya Dashami, Laxmi Puja evening, Bhai Tika), many local businesses close early or stay shut so staff can be with their families. Restaurants that are normally reliable might not be. That is not a reason to stay home. It is a reason to plan the evening before you step out, and to confirm anything you’re relying on.

Four Ways to Celebrate, and How to Choose

You are not choosing between “festival” and “party.” Most people in Kathmandu do some of both. These are the four setups that actually get used.

1. The family-first day, friends-second night. Tika, lunch and visits during the day. A night out with friends once the rituals are done. This is the most common pattern and the one this guide is built around.

2. The long dinner. A group restaurant booking, a rooftop table, or a home gathering that stretches late. Easy and comfortable, though your options narrow on ritual days when kitchens close.

3. The hotel or resort getaway. Good if you want a quiet few days with family away from the city. The festival is observed in the background rather than the foreground.

4. The proper night out. A big dance floor, DJs, bottle service, a table for the whole group. For many people in their twenties and thirties, this is what makes a festival holiday feel complete. Thamel is where most of this happens. If you’re building a wider evening around it, our guide to where to party in Kathmandu lays out the area and the options.

Pick based on your group. If you’ve got older relatives joining, a long dinner works. If your group is a mix of returned friends, cousins and colleagues, a nightclub with real capacity is the easier call, because nobody has to squeeze around a living-room table.

The Dashain Party Pattern: After the Tika

Dashain is a family festival at heart. The main days are carried by ritual and food, and the party energy shows up mostly after Vijaya Dashami, once tika has been received and the visits have started to thin.

This is why “Dashain party Kathmandu” searches tend to spike in the second half of the holiday block. Friends who live abroad or in other districts are back for a short window. Cousins are in town. Everyone has new clothes, a few days off, and no obligation until the following week.

A few patterns repeat every year:

• Tika day belongs to elders. Don’t plan a night that clashes with the tika sait or a family lunch. The auspicious time is announced by the Nepali calendar authorities and shifts each year.

• The evening after tika is the first real window. People have done their duty, eaten well, and are ready to see friends.

• The days between Dashami and Kojagrat Purnima are the sweet spot. Fewer ritual obligations, a long holiday feel, and the whole group usually in town.

• Weeknight reality. With a holiday block on, “Wednesday” doesn’t mean what it normally does. Tables that would be easy on a normal midweek night can fill quickly.

If you’re planning ahead for next Dashain, check the new year’s dates in the Nepali patro first, then back-plan from Vijaya Dashami.

Tihar, Night by Night

Tihar is where this Dashain & Tihar party guide earns its keep, because Tihar is the festival with real nightlife energy. Lights, music, visiting, singing groups, and a five-day arc that builds toward a finale.

Here is how each night tends to play out.

Kaag Tihar, Saturday 7 November: the warm-up. Crows are honoured in the morning. It’s a light day, and it falls on a Saturday this year, which makes it a natural first outing for a group that’s already assembled. If you want to start the festival week with a proper night, this is the one.

Kukur Tihar + Laxmi Puja, Sunday 8 November: the night of lights. Dogs are garlanded and given tika during the day. When evening arrives, homes are lit with diyo and candles to welcome Laxmi. Deusi-Bhailo groups go door to door singing and collecting offerings. This is the most family-centred night of the whole festival. If you go out, go late, after the puja and the visiting have wound down. Honour the evening first.

Gai Tihar, Monday 9 November: the quieter middle. Cows are honoured. The festival is in full swing, but the energy is more relaxed. A good night for a smaller group or an early dinner.

Govardhan / Goru Puja / Mha Puja, Tuesday 10 November: the community night. Oxen are worshipped and the Newar community celebrates Mha Puja and Nepal Sambat New Year. It’s another culturally rich evening, and many groups plan their big night for the next day instead.

Bhai Tika, Wednesday 11 November: the finale. Sisters apply the seven-coloured tika to their brothers and pray for their long life. By evening, the ritual is done. And here is the detail that changes plans: with the government holiday running through Thursday 12 November, there is no early alarm for anyone on the government or bank calendar. For many groups, Bhai Tika night is the big social night of the whole festival, because there’s nothing to get up for in the morning.

A simple rule of thumb: Laxmi Puja is for family, Bhai Tika is for friends, and the weekend nights on either side are for whoever you couldn’t see in between.

Why Club Nova Works for a Festival Night Out

When a group is large, mixed and slightly chaotic (which every festival group is), the venue matters more than the music. You need space, a clear entry process, somewhere for the whole table to sit, and enough production that the night feels like an occasion.

Club Nova is in the heart of Thamel on Chaksibari Marg, a short walk from Thamel Chowk. The venue lists itself as the biggest nightclub in Nepal, with space for up to 2,500 guests across four levels of curved decks, a stage that has hosted national and international artists, a concert-grade sound system and a hydraulic ceiling light system. It is open daily from 9 PM to 5 AM.

For festival groups, that scale solves real problems:

• Everyone fits. Fifteen cousins and friends is no problem on a floor built for thousands.

• Different levels, different moods. Some in your group want to dance. Others want to sit, talk and eat. Multiple levels allow both.

• A proper main night. NOVA FRIDAY is the venue’s weekly flagship, with resident and guest DJs, full lighting and sound production, and a crowd to match. If your festival week includes a Friday, that’s the obvious anchor. Tihar 2026 doesn’t land on one, but the Saturday nights on either side of the holiday do the job.

• Beyond DJ nights. The venue also hosts live concerts and themed parties. Check the Club Nova events page before you commit to a date, since a headline night changes both the atmosphere and the booking process.

If you’re curious how the venue handles bigger groups and private celebrations (birthdays that happen to fall in festival week are extremely common), the team also takes full-venue and private deck bookings through the contact page.

Plan the Night: Groups, Tables and Booking

A festival night is not a normal night. Demand compresses into fewer evenings, and groups are bigger. Walk-ins can work on quiet days, but for a festival evening, book.

Choose general entry if: you’re two to five people, you want flexibility, and you don’t mind queuing and ordering at the bar.

Choose a table if: your group is six or more, you’re marking an occasion, or you simply don’t want to spend the night standing and queuing.

Club Nova runs three table tiers: Elite, Privilege and Diamond, stepping up in size, placement and service. There is no published price list. Pricing works on a minimum spend rather than a flat fee, and it varies by night, tier and group size. In other words, treat any number you see online as a rough guess, and get the real figure from the venue for your date.

There is also no live online booking system with instant confirmation. Reservations go through the venue directly. Here is the shortest path:

1. Pick your night and your group size. Be honest about the headcount.

2. Contact the team by phone, WhatsApp, email or the website’s contact form.

3. Ask four things: the minimum spend, what it covers, whether a deposit is needed, and where the table sits.

4. Get it in writing. A WhatsApp or email confirmation of date, tier, spend and arrival time saves arguments later.

5. Avoid middlemen. Book only through the venue’s own channels. Street offers to “arrange” VIP entry are not worth the risk.

For the full step-by-step, including what to put in your first message, read our guide on how to book a VIP table at Club Nova.

One festival-specific tip: if your group is celebrating Bhai Tika night, message early. The nights that sit just before a holiday are the ones that fill first.

What to Wear on a Festival Night

Festival season gives you a dilemma most nights don’t. You may have just spent the day in a daura suruwal, a kurta or a sari, and now you’re heading somewhere louder.

The venue’s stated policy is simple: smart, party-ready attire. No slippers, flip-flops or sportswear. That’s the baseline for everyone. If you’re coming straight from a family event in traditional wear, you’re generally in the right territory, but if you’re unsure, ask the team before you travel. Don’t guess at the door.

A few practical thoughts:

• Comfortable shoes beat heels on a floor this size.

• Dress for the room. Large venues run warm once a few hundred people are inside, and late-autumn evenings outside are cool, so layers you can leave in the cloakroom or at the table help.

• Keep your ID with you. More on that below.

For ideas, our guides on what to wear to a nightclub in Kathmandu cover the details for both men and women.

ID, Age and Door Policy

Club Nova enforces a strict 18+ policy. Bring your original photo ID. A citizenship certificate, passport or driving licence works. Photocopies and photos on a phone are not a safe bet, and festival nights are busier than normal, so a delayed door is less fun than usual. If someone in your group is likely to be asked, make sure they have the original with them before the group leaves home.

Getting There, and Getting Home

The club sits on Chaksibari Marg, Thamel-16, Kathmandu 44600. It’s a short walk from Thamel Chowk and easy to reach by taxi or ride-share from most hotels and neighbourhoods. Open it in Google Maps for directions.

Parking: there is basement parking, but it is limited on busy nights. Taxis are the sensible choice on any festival evening.

Getting home: with the club open until 5 AM, plan your return before you go. Agree on how the group travels, who is sharing which ride, and who lives furthest. Festival nights mean more people competing for the same few vehicles at closing time.

Thamel is busy, lively and heavily visited at night, and normal city common sense applies. If you’re new to the area or visiting from outside Kathmandu, read our guide on whether Thamel is safe at night before you plan your route.

Etiquette: Partying Without Missing the Point

This is the question people rarely ask out loud, but it sits behind half the searches for this topic: is it okay to go out and party during a festival?

For most Nepali families, yes, with an order of operations. Rituals come first. The tika, the puja, the visits, the meals with elders: those are the heart of the festival, and nobody sensible schedules a night out over them. After that, the evening is yours.

A few ways to get the balance right:

• Do the family part fully. Show up for tika, stay for lunch, and visit the relatives you’re expected to visit.

• Respect Laxmi Puja evening. The lights and the puja matter. Go out later rather than earlier.

• Be kind to the people working. Staff at every venue have families too, and many are working through the holiday. A little patience and a good tip go a long way.

• Drink sensibly. Festival days are long. Eating well earlier and pacing yourself later makes the whole week better.

• Look after your group. Know who is sharing a ride home and keep an eye on friends who are visiting from abroad.

Dates to Watch at Club Nova

At the time of writing, the venue’s events page lists a 7 November show with Shefali Alvares, which lands on Kaag Tihar, the opening Saturday of the festival. A second headline night, with Monali Thakur, is listed for 14 November, the Saturday after Bhai Tika. These bookend the Tihar week neatly. Line-ups can change, so confirm on the events page before you finalise anything. Headline nights can run on different ticketing from a standard night, which is another reason to ask when you book.

FAQs about Dashain & Tihar Party Guide

1. When is Tihar in 2026?
Tihar runs from Saturday 7 November (Kaag Tihar) to Wednesday 11 November (Bhai Tika). Laxmi Puja falls on Sunday 8 November. The government holiday runs from 8 to 12 November.

2. When is Vijaya Dashami in 2026?
Wednesday 21 October 2026, the main tika day. Dashain ran from Ghatasthapana on 11 October to Kojagrat Purnima on 25 October.

3. Where can I celebrate Tihar in Kathmandu with friends?
Options include home gatherings, restaurant dinners, hotel events and nightclubs in Thamel. For a large group with music, a dance floor and table service, Club Nova on Chaksibari Marg is built for exactly that.

4. Which Tihar night is best for a party?
Most groups pick Bhai Tika night (11 November), because the holiday continues through 12 November and there is no early start the next day. Laxmi Puja night is family-first, so go out later if you go out at all. The weekend nights either side of the festival also work well.

5. Is Club Nova open during Dashain and Tihar?
The venue lists daily opening from 9 PM to 5 AM. For specific festival dates, especially ritual nights, call or WhatsApp the team to confirm hours and any special programme before you travel.

6. Do I need to book a table for a festival night?
Not required, but strongly recommended for groups of six or more and for the nights immediately before or after a holiday. Tables are reserved by contacting the venue directly.

7. How much does a table cost?
There’s no fixed public price. Tables run on a minimum spend that depends on the night, tier (Elite, Privilege or Diamond) and group size. Ask the venue for a quote for your exact date.

8. Is there a deposit?
It can be requested to hold tables on busy nights. Confirm whether one applies, and how it’s credited, when you book.

9. What is the dress code?
Smart, party-ready attire. No slippers, flip-flops or sportswear. If you’re coming in traditional clothing and aren’t sure, check with the team first.

10. What ID do I need?
The venue enforces a strict 18+ policy and asks for original photo ID: citizenship, passport or driving licence.

11. Can tourists and visitors join?
Yes, with valid original ID such as a passport. If you’re visiting Kathmandu for the festival season, book ahead, since holiday weeks bring both visitors and returning locals.

12. Can I host a birthday or private party during festival week?
Yes. The venue takes birthdays, corporate events and full-venue bookings, from a private deck for a small group to a larger buyout. Use the contact form or call the team.

13. How do I get to Club Nova, and is there parking?
It’s on Chaksibari Marg, Thamel-16, a short walk from Thamel Chowk. There is basement parking, but space is limited on busy nights, so taxis are the easier option.

14. Is it disrespectful to go out during a festival?
Not when you honour the rituals first. Spend the day on tika, puja and family visits, and go out once those are done. Be especially mindful on Laxmi Puja evening.

15. How early should I book for Bhai Tika night?
As early as your group is confirmed. Nights next to long holidays fill first, and larger tables are the first to go.

Ready to Plan Your Festival Night?

Whether you’re gathering a few friends after tika or booking a full table for Bhai Tika night, it’s easier to sort the details early. Message the team with your date, group size and occasion, and they’ll come back with availability and pricing for your night.

Club Nova
Chaksibari Marg, Thamel-16, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal
Open daily, 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM

Reservations and VIP desk:
Phone: +977 970-5420751 / +977 970-5420752
WhatsApp: +977 970-5420751
Email: info@theclubnova.com

Booking and enquiries page: theclubnova.com/contact
Use the form for VIP table reservations, event and guest-list requests, private events and corporate bookings.

Strict 18+ door policy. Bring original government photo ID.