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One of the biggest Vaisakhi parades in Canada, if not the entire world, attracted more than 500,000 spectators to Surrey, British Columbia, according to the locals.
A section of Surrey's streets have been closed off for the important multicultural event as thousands attend and witness the procession.
Seeing all these families out again is really encouraging, according to Monider Singh, who organised the event.
I believe that after the break, people have been impatient to return outside. It's a sizable family affair. It could be the biggest Vaisakhi parade ever if our estimated numbers come true.
With more than 1,000 volunteers registering to lend a helping hand for the festivities on Saturday, Singh said it was clear that people were looking forward to the event.
Families along the procession route in the Newton suburb provide free vegetarian cuisine throughout the day.
With the formation of Khalsa in 1699, Vaisakhi commemorates the beginning of the Sikh religion as well as the Punjabi new year and harvest season. Including inclusivity, dignity, and respect for all, Singh said the celebration reflects Sikhism's essential ideals.
According to him, it is based on moral principles, the defence of human rights, and equality for all people, regardless of their background, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.
It is an effort to guarantee that everyone has the right to respect and dignity.
The celebrations on Saturday will feature an Indigenous land acknowledgement and drumming ceremony, a parade with 20 floats, dozens of stalls and cultural presentations, and an almost limitless supply of free food and drink.
There are multiple road closures in the region to accommodate the anticipated throng, and the march itself starts at 9 a.m. at the Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar.
"This event has really expanded to include people from all different backgrounds, and this is really what makes Surrey such a vibrant community,"
Many people are celebrating today, and the festivities will be presided over by the "Panj Pyare," who will be dressed in traditional garb and lead the parade through Coventry's streets while others play the drums. A procession headed by a float bearing the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji will be among the traditional floats on exhibit.
"The Nagar Kirtan makes me feel so proud and energised about my faith and Coventry's Sikh community," said Gurdip Singh, a member of the GGNP Committee. Every year, we first decide if we can and should do the event, and this year, given the cost-of-living problem, I was curious to hear what the community would say.
In an act of kindness, 2,500 volunteers from various community organisations and businesses erected tents along the march route where they served tea, Punjabi sweets, and vegetarian meals to participants.
The occasion provided Mili Negi, who moved to Coquitlam five years ago, with an opportunity to spend time with friends at her "home away from home."
The 23-year-old claimed that Surrey has always provided her with the familiar looks and tastes of her home country of India.
Negi stated, "It seems like we are all finally back together, united as one. "Here, everyone is welcome, just like in Sikhism."
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