April 27, Nepalgunj — The inaugural Street Food and Beverage Festival in Nepalgunj has witnessed a highly enthusiastic turnout from visitors. The event was jointly organized by the Banke Chapter of the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association and the Hotel Association Nepal, Banke branch. Approximately 12,000 visitors came daily to experience the festival. The organizers stated that the event aimed to promote tourism in Nepalgunj and the wider Banke district.
The festival was held with the objectives of promoting tourist destinations, identifying and celebrating local cuisine, and fostering the growth of the hotel industry. Targeted at both domestic visitors and tourists from neighboring India, the festival brought together a diverse range of street foods and gourmet dishes from five-star hotels all in one place. Traditional and contemporary local foods and beverages were made available by local authorities.
Among the hundreds of dishes offered in one venue were sel roti, chicken Thai mom, biryani, handmade fried bandiya fish, pizza, sekuwa, choila, dhikri, snail delicacies, sattu, rabri, sushi, nawabi kebabs, and many more. The festival also featured local art, cultural performances, and entertainment programs. There were 55 stalls representing hotels and other commercial establishments. Over the three-day event, a total of 35,000 visitors, including approximately 5,000 Indian tourists, attended, according to Bhim Kandel, president of the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association, Banke.
Held amid Nepalgunj’s intense heat, the festival operated from 6 PM to 11 PM each evening. Tourists reported having an enjoyable experience, noted Keshav Nyaupane, vice president of the Hotel Association, Banke.
