Thousands expected at Vancouver Vaisakhi celebrations

With the advent of the spring cherry blossoms, it's time for another popular annual spring tradition in the Lower Mainland: the Vaisakhi festival.

Vaisakhi celebrates the beginning of the Punjabi harvestand marks the birth of the Sikh faith.

It's one of the most significant dates in the year for Sikhs, and a great time for Metro Vancouverites to join in the celebrations and parades.

Vancouver: April 14

TheVaisakhiparade is scheduled for Saturday, April14from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CBC Vancouver will be live on scene with reporter Bal Brach in the action.

The parade will start at Ross Street, travel west on South East Marine Drive to Main Street, north on Main Street to East49th Avenue, east on East49th Avenue to Fraser Street, south on Fraser Street to East57th Avenue,east toRoss Street, and south on Ross Street to the temple.

The following closures will be in effect:

• Westbound traffic on South East Marine Drive, from Ross to Main Street
• Main Street from South East Marine Drive to 49thAvenue
• 49thAvenue from Main to Fraser Street
• Fraser Street, from 49thto 57thAvenue
• East 57th from Fraser to Ross Street
• Ross Streetfrom East 57thto South East Marine Drive

Surrey: April 21

The Surrey parade is one of the largest events in the city in the year.

The parade will begin at approximately 9 a.m. PT at the Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar, located at 12885 85thAvenue, and will conclude there at approximately 6 p.m.

Two brothers from Surrey are hoping businesses and families who serve up free food at this year's Vaisakhi parade find alternatives to Styrofoamto cut down on the waste headed to the landfill.