Events in Vancouver: The Vaisakhi Parade in Surrey
Vaisakhi is celebrated every April with parades in both Vancouver and Surrey. Everyone is welcome to attend the celebrations and enjoy all the tasty free food!
Here is a map that shows the parade route for Surrey’s Vaisakhi festival.
The parade will begin at the Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar Temple (12885 85th Avenue in Surrey). Then will travel along 124th Street, turns left onto 75th Avenue, continues on 76th Avenue, onto 128th Street, then back to the Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar.
Date : Saturday, April 20th, 2004
Time: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
The Vaisakhi Parade was held in Vancouver last week on Saturday, April 13th and will be held in Surrey this Saturday, April 20th from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
Every April, millions of Sikhs around the world celebrate the spring harvest festivial, Vaisakhi (pronounced va-SAH-kee).
It has been traditionally held on the first day of Vaisakh which is the name of the first month of the Punjabi luni-solar calendar.
In Vancouver and Surrey, roads are closed along the parade route to allow the procession or nagar kirtan of a large number of floats.
There will also be stages set up at various points along the route with community performers and live music.
You’ll be able to see performances of bhangra which is a form of Punjabi folk music and dance, gatka which is traditional Punjabi martial arts, and kirtan which is holy Sikh music that involves singing hymns accompanied by the harmonium (keyboard instrument) and tabla (drums).
Attendees are also given free food and drink from hundreds of local residents and businesses!
This coincides with the Sikh practice of seva (selfless service) and langar (free food that is served to everyone, as a gesture of equality).
You can enjoy traditional Punjabi food, as well as pizza, snacks, sweets, etc.
