Tens of thousands of British Columbians are expected to be in South Vancouver Saturday afternoon for the much-anticipated return of the Sikh celebration of Vaisakhi.
The celebration will have a myriad of street vendors offering free food and feature an expansive parade that will begin at the Khalsa Diwan Society Ross Sikh Temple just off South East Marine Drive.
Free food was being handed out to festival attendees.
Global News
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The large community event is the celebration of the birth of Khalsa and beginning of harvest season in Punjab.
“It’s really busy today and it’s going really well. We have been looking forward to this for years,” said Jagdeep Sanghera, KDS Ross Sikh Temple’s vice president.
“Vancouver Police Pipe Band will lead the parade, along with the VPD, and we also have a Vancouver Lion Dance team that will make the parade multicultural.”
The parade will march down South East Marine Drive and will go up Main Street, turn onto 49 Avenue and come back along Fraser Street. Those roads have been closed to traffic.
The celebration is scheduled to span from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“Our message is very clear. Join us in this multicultural festival,” Sanghera told Global News. “Sikhs believe in brotherhood. We invite every Canadian to join us and celebrate as a community.”
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