Festivals in Nepal in 2026
Dates of the major festivals and commemorative days celebrated in Nepal in 2026, with the day of the week and how certain each date is.
Dates last checked on 2026-10-21. Lunar-calendar dates can differ by a day between regions.
January 2026
- Sat, Jan 3Savitribai Phule JayantiFixed date
- Mon, Jan 12National Youth Day (Swami Vivekananda Jayanti)Fixed date
- Wed, Jan 14Makar SankrantiFixed dateSometimes January 15, depending on the year and region.
- Fri, Jan 23Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose JayantiFixed date
- Mon, Jan 26Republic Day (India)Fixed date
February 2026
- Sun, Feb 15Maha ShivaratriConfirmedDepends on the lunar calendar and can differ by a day between regions.
- Thu, Feb 19Shivaji Maharaj JayantiFixed dateThe date officially observed in Maharashtra.
March 2026
- Wed, Mar 4HoliConfirmedThe main day of colours. Holika Dahan, the bonfire, is the evening before. Depends on the lunar calendar and can differ by a day between regions.
- Tue, Mar 31Mahavir JayantiExpectedSome regional calendars list the previous day for 2027. Depends on the lunar calendar and can differ by a day between regions.
April 2026
- Tue, Apr 14Ambedkar JayantiFixed date
May 2026
- Fri, May 1Buddha PurnimaConfirmedThe date in India and Nepal. Vesak may be observed on a different date in some other countries.
- Thu, May 7Rabindranath Tagore JayantiFixed dateThe Gregorian birth date. In the Bengali calendar it is Pochishe Boishakh, usually May 8 or 9.
August 2026
- Sun, Aug 2Friendship DayFixed dateThe first Sunday of August in India and several other countries. The UN International Day of Friendship is July 30.
- Sat, Aug 15Independence Day (India)Fixed date
- Fri, Aug 28Raksha BandhanConfirmedDepends on the lunar calendar and can differ by a day between regions.
September 2026
- Fri, Sep 4JanmashtamiConfirmedDepends on the lunar calendar and can differ by a day between regions.
- Mon, Sep 14Ganesh ChaturthiConfirmedThe first day of the festival, which lasts up to ten days. Depends on the lunar calendar and can differ by a day between regions.
- Mon, Sep 28Bhagat Singh JayantiFixed date
October 2026
- Fri, Oct 2Gandhi JayantiFixed date
- Sun, Oct 11 to Oct 19NavratriExpectedNine nights ending on the day before Dussehra. Depends on the lunar calendar and can differ by a day between regions.
- Thu, Oct 15APJ Abdul Kalam Jayanti (World Students’ Day)Fixed date
- Tue, Oct 20DussehraConfirmedDepends on the lunar calendar and can differ by a day between regions.
November 2026
- Sun, Nov 8DiwaliConfirmedThe main Lakshmi Puja day. Diwali lasts five days, starting with Dhanteras two days earlier. Depends on the lunar calendar and can differ by a day between regions.
- Thu, Nov 26Constitution Day (Samvidhan Diwas)Fixed date
How these dates were checked
Fixed and rule-based dates, such as Christmas or the third Monday of January, are exact. Easter, Islamic festivals (from the Umm al-Qura calendar), Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival and Hanukkah are calculated from their calendars. Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain festival dates were cross-checked against several independent published calendars, and a date is left out when they disagree. Because lunar festivals depend on the moon, always confirm the exact day with your local calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Which festivals are in 2026?
This calendar lists 56 festivals and commemorative days for 2026, including Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Jewish festivals, national days and global celebrations.
Are these festival dates official?
No. They are checked against several published calendars (last checked 2026-10-21), but they are not official government notices. Lunar-calendar festivals can differ by a day between regions, and festivals marked “Expected” depend on moon sighting. Confirm with your local authority, temple, mosque or government holiday list before making plans.
Why do many festival dates change every year?
Many festivals follow lunar or lunisolar calendars, whose years are not the same length as the Gregorian year, so the Gregorian date moves from year to year. Festivals tied to a fixed date, such as Christmas or Independence Day, stay on the same day.