The free outdoor event, which will be proclaimed by the City of Longmont next week, celebrates the heritage and culture of Nepal and will take place on July 19 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
For its fourth consecutive year, Nepali Jatra will take place in downtown Longmont on Saturday, July 19 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 350 Kimbark Street. The outdoor event, which is free and open to the public, will celebrate the rich heritage, artistry, and warmth of Nepal.
The event will include authentic Nepali folk music and dance performances by local artists and community groups, traditional Nepali clothes and jewelry, Nepali food stalls featuring home-style Nepali dishes like momo and sel roti, Nepali arts and crafts, and more. According to Nepali Jatra founder and CEO Sunanda Dangol, the event is an opportunity to connect, share resources about the Nepali community, and exchange stories and experiences — whether you’re reconnecting with your roots or discovering something new, she said, Nepali Jatra is a space to learn and strengthen the community.
“People might have preconceived notions in their mind if somebody is from a different culture,” Dangol said. “They might think that they might not bond or form a friendship, but it’s totally different once they actually talk to that person.”
Dangol, who has career experience in event planning, came up with the idea to create Nepali Jatra a few years ago, with the aim to create more understanding and acceptance of Nepali culture within the Longmont community. At first, she was intimidated to plan an event so personal to herself and her culture. But now, Dangol is proud that she founded something that introduces the people of Longmont to a culture they might not have known about.
“I pass out literature about what we are celebrating and why we celebrate it,” she said. “That way, people can participate in the event and also learn something. I try to bring a little bit of culture to the event too, like bringing a replica of the Living Goddess [Kumari] so people have a reference.”
Dangol is also proud of the fact that Nepali Jatra gives Nepali people in Longmont a chance to boast about their culture and be proud of it — particularly young people.
“Young people want to assimilate with the culture here, which I totally do not blame them,” Dangol said about local children and young adults with Nepali heritage. “But that uniqueness that they hold is what makes us beautiful, because we are different. We have a distinguished culture that we can boast about, and a lot of young leaders. We have included a lot of young kids in planning this event. They have designed a lot of the event and I give them liberty to lead the event.”
Now, Dangol is working to grow Nepali Jatra and host events in different cities in addition to Longmont. Last year, she hosted a small event in Boulder, and other Nepali Jatra events are in the works.
On July 8, the City of Longmont will issue a Proclamation to Nepali Jatra. Proclamations are issued by the Mayor of Longmont to recognize outstanding local events, programs and nonprofit organizations that make Longmont a great city. Dangol said that throughout the event’s lifespan, the City of Longmont has been instrumental in its success.
“I give credit to Longmont because they have an organization called the Longmont Multicultural Action Committee, and I have been involved with that committee for almost seven years now,” she said. “They helped me to initiate the event and the Longmont Museum offered us our first venue in 2021 for free.”
The first two years Dangol hosted the event, it was held indoors, but due to high demand and attendance, the event was held outside last year and will be held outside again this year to accommodate attendance. Last year, an estimated 1,000 people attended, and Dangol estimates that this year’s numbers will be similar.
Dangol has partnered with a number of local businesses in Longmont and beyond in order to make Nepali Jatra happen, with the Colorado Health Foundation serving as this year’s presenting sponsor. The businesses that partnered with the event were instrumental in making it happen, Dangol said. A number of nonprofits will also be in attendance at Nepali Jatra, with information about their services made available for all attendees.
“People might be struggling with food or immigration policies, but they have no idea where to go to get services like that,” Dangol said. “That’s why my effort is to bring all these services under one roof and give people the opportunity to gain a wealth of knowledge.”
Whether you’re a long-time admirer of Nepalese traditions or discovering them for the first time, Dangol said that Nepali Jatra offers a “feast for the senses and a space for everyone to come together.”
