When is Poila Boishakh celebrated?

Poila Boishakh, the Bengali New Year, falls in mid-April each year (usually 14 or 15 April). Sanhoti schedules its Orange County celebration on the nearest weekend so families can attend.

Is Poila Boishakh a religious festival?

No. It is a secular cultural celebration of the Bengali New Year, welcoming people of every background, faith and nationality.

A full Bengali New Year dinner with a choice of veg or non-veg thali — veg momo, kaju kishmish pulao, naan, daal makhani and paneer lababdar, or chicken momo, chicken rezala and chingri malaikari, with malpoa to finish.

Poila Boishakh 2026 (Bengali New Year)

April 11, 2026 — Norman P. Murray Community &Senior Center, Mission Viejo, CA, 92692

Sanhoti Poila Boishakh Bengali New Year 2026 celebration at Norman P. Murray Community Center, Mission Viejo, Orange County, California

Sanhoti welcomed the Bengali New Year — Poila Boishakh — at the Norman P. Murray Community & Senior Center in Mission Viejo, Orange County. Poila Boishakh marks the first day of the Bengali calendar and is the biggest secular celebration of the Bengali year. It belongs to everyone: no ritual requirement, no religious gatekeeping, just a shared new beginning marked with new clothes, good food and music. Traditionally families greet each other with "Shubho Nabobarsho" and businesses open their halkhata, the new ledger. The evening ran a full Bengali New Year dinner with a choice of veg or non-veg thali. The vegetarian side brought veg momo, kaju kishmish pulao, naan, daal makhani, paneer lababdar and malpoa; the non-veg side chicken momo, chicken rezala and chingri malaikari, with the same pulao, naan and malpoa. A special mocktail was served to everyone. Alongside the food ran a grand cultural programme by kids and adults — live music including Rabindra Sangeet and adhunik, dance and recitation. Red-and-white is customary for Poila Boishakh, and much of the hall wore it. Families joined from Mission Viejo, Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Forest, Aliso Viejo and across Orange County — and guests of every background were welcome.

Photos from Poila Boishakh 2026 (Bengali New Year)

Poila Boishakh 2026 (Bengali New Year) Gallery — 15 photos

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Food & menu

A Bengali New Year dinner at the Norman P. Murray Community & Senior Center, Mission Viejo — served alongside the cultural programme.

Nobo Borsho Dinner — 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Choose the veg or non-veg thali. A special mocktail is served to everyone.
- Veg: Veg Momo, Kaju Kishmish Pulao, Naan, Daal Makhani, Paneer Lababdar, Malpoa
- Non-Veg: Chicken Momo, Kaju Kishmish Pulao, Naan, Chicken Rezala, Chingri Malaikari, Malpoa
- Drinks: Special Mocktail

Vegetarian: A complete vegetarian thali is available — no substitutions needed.
Kids: Kids aged 5–12 $15.
Allergies: Tell us about any allergies in advance and we will do our best to accommodate.

Frequently asked questions

When is Poila Boishakh celebrated?
Poila Boishakh, the Bengali New Year, falls in mid-April each year (usually 14 or 15 April). Sanhoti schedules its Orange County celebration on the nearest weekend so families can attend.
Is Poila Boishakh a religious festival?
No. It is a secular cultural celebration of the Bengali New Year, welcoming people of every background, faith and nationality.
What food is served?
A full Bengali New Year dinner with a choice of veg or non-veg thali — veg momo, kaju kishmish pulao, naan, daal makhani and paneer lababdar, or chicken momo, chicken rezala and chingri malaikari, with malpoa to finish.