For the past five years, Nepali Jatra has been creating opportunities for people across Boulder County to experience, celebrate, and connect through Nepali arts and culture. Through music, dance, food, art, traditions, and other forms of artistic expression, Nepali Jatra celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Nepal while creating space for the broader community to learn and participate.
At the heart of Nepali Jatra’s work is a commitment to preserving Nepali culture for future generations and using culture as a bridge to bring people together. By bringing people of different ages and cultures together — and reducing barriers such as language — Nepali Jatra helps strengthen relationships and create a greater sense of belonging.
“Nepali culture will always be at the heart of our work,” said Sunanda Dangol, Founder and Executive Director of Nepali Jatra. “At the same time, we believe that sharing our culture creates opportunities to learn from others and build stronger connections across our community.”
After five years of building a strong foundation and developing meaningful relationships with community members and partners across Boulder County, Nepali Jatra is looking toward a future where cultural exchange goes both ways.
This year, Nepali Jatra took a step in expanding its vision. The organization hosted a special multicultural edition of its event, creating an opportunity for the Nepali community not only to share its own traditions, but also to learn about and experience the cultures of its neighbors. The event brought together approximately 20 cultural booths, where community members shared food, traditions, stories, and experiences. “For us, this was an important step toward building connections beyond our own cultural community,” Dangol shared. “When people have the opportunity to meet, share, and learn from one another, they begin to build friendships and understanding that can continue beyond the event.” By bringing different communities together, Nepali Jatra hopes to help people become better neighbors, build lasting friendships, and strengthen the community as a whole.
That spirit of connection extends beyond the annual celebration. Through partnerships such as its collaboration with Rocky Mountain Equality for Kukur Tihar, as well as relationships across Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette, and Erie, Nepali Jatra is building connections across communities and creating opportunities for more people to participate.
Funding from Community Foundation Boulder County’s Community Trust has played an important role in helping Nepali Jatra keep its events free and open to the public, removing cost as a barrier to participation. “Supporting Nepali Jatra helps move Boulder County toward a more thriving, equitable, and inclusive community by creating opportunities for people to connect, participate, and feel represented,” said Dangol. “Because the funding is unrestricted, we are also able to go beyond the basics and create a fuller cultural experience. Attendees can experience Nepali culture through music, food, art, dance, and traditions — engaging with the culture through all their senses.”
This support helps make Nepali Jatra more than an event. It creates a meaningful and memorable opportunity for community members to experience a culture they may not otherwise encounter, while giving members of the Nepali community a place to celebrate and stay connected to their heritage.
We’re proud to support the Nepali Jatra and its commitment to preserving Nepali culture for future generations while building cultural connections across Boulder County.
Nepali Jatra was most recently awarded Community Trust grants in 2024, 2025, and 2026.
