Hundreds of thousands expected to fill Surrey, B.C., streets for return of Vaisakhi parade

After three years of cancellations, Canada's largest Vaisakhi parade is set to return to Surrey, B.C., on Saturday.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, festivities would see between 300,000 to 500,000 attendees. Organizers believe this year's event could be even more popular andattractmore than 700,000 celebrants.

Sikhs around the world celebrate Vaisakhi every April to mark the creation of the order of the Khalsa in 1699 a defining moment in Sikh history, which gave the faith its final form.

Organizer Moninder Singh says the parade is about bringing all communities together.

"People get a really good view of what the Sikh culture is about, and not just the food, but also our way of life, our language, our family customs and also our religious customs," he said.

The parade is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. PT at the Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar Temple on 85 Avenue and is set toconclude back at the temple around 4 p.m.

The celebrations will include floats, live musicand dancers, featuringmore than 2,500 participants. Along the parade route, businesses and families will serve free food and treats to visitors in acts of seva and langar, two significant aspects of Sikhism.

"The Vaisakhiparade is an opportunity to reunite and reconnect with diverse communities from Surrey and beyond," said Mayor Brenda Locke, who also acknowledged that the event could see unprecedented numbers of attendees from around the world.

Road closures

There will be significant road closures in Surrey on Saturday to accommodate the celebrations, with traffic control measures in place from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Delays should be expected in the area bounded by 72Avenue to 88Avenue and Scott Road/120 Street to King George Highway. Access to 128Street and roads along the parade route will also be affected.

Surrey RCMP says it will be on site to help with public safety and traffic control but also to celebrate.

"We look forward to coming together for the Surrey Vaisakhi Day Parade and celebrating this community event alongside families and residents," saidCpl.Sarbjit Sangha.

Sangha says it's important to have a plan in place with friends and family in case anyone is separated during the festivities. During past events, Sangha says police have responded to numerous calls for missing children or older adults.

Vancouver parade

The Surrey event comes a week after South Vancouver and the Punjabi District were flooded with hundreds of thousands of celebrants for Vancouver's Vaisakhi parade, which also returned for the first time since 2019.

Among the crowds were B.C. Premier David Eby and Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim.

Organizers said the return of both parades shows the unity and acceptance of the Punjabi community within Canada.

History of the Sikh diaspora

Sharanjit Kaur Sandhra, a historian with Parks Canada, says the Sikh diasporain B.C.is one of the oldest diasporas outside of the Indian subcontinent.

She says decades ago, there were only a handful of gurdwarasin all of B.C., with each one hosting different religious events.

But as the population grew, the celebrations and number of gurdwaras increased to accommodate the demand.

"There were only three or four (gurdwarasback then,and now our community has grown so much that we can all come together in many different ways and celebrate all these religious events," she said.

Sandhra notes the interest in Vaisakhi has grown exponentially in the past few years, with more people keen to see the festivities become a full-day event.

"There is a diversity of people taking part ... We also have to understand Surrey has become the central cultural hub," she said, adding many people attend the festivities in Surrey from communities likeAbbotsford and Chilliwack.

"There's a lot of Sikh people who even come from Bellingham ... or even Seattle ... It's people from all over the Pacific coastal area."