Vaisakhi parade returns to Vancouver's streets after 3 years - Action News
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Vaisakhi parade returns to Vancouver's streets after 3 years

Vancouvers Vaisakhi parade returned on Saturday for the first time since 2019, with thousands of people out on the streets celebrating the Sikh festival marked every April.

Historic parade's return to Vancouver reflects acceptance of Punjabi community in Canada: organizers

People line up along the street with Indian stores visible behind them.
People attend the Vancouver Vaisakhi parade and festival in Vancouver on Saturday. It marks the return of the annual parade after three years of pandemic restrictions. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Vancouver's Vaisakhi parade returned on Saturday for the first time since 2019, with hundreds of thousands of people out on the streets celebrating the Sikh festival marked every April, one gurdwara official estimated.

The parade, which went through many streets in South Vancouver and the historic Punjabi Market district, had been off the streets since 2019 due to pandemic restrictions.

Thousands of people carrying umbrellas line up on a street.
Festival organizers estimated up to 300,000 people were in attendance Saturday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

The event marks the creation of the order of the Khalsa in 1699 a defining moment in Sikh history, which gave the Sikh faith its final form.

Vaisakhi is marked by colourful processions, as well as the practice of serving free meals to the community in acts of seva and langar, two significant aspects of the Sikh religion.

People are seen at the front of a queue to get food from a tent at a Sikh parade.
Giving out food to the community is an intrinsic part of the Vaisakhi festival, and honours the Sikh traditions of seva and langar. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Organizers say the return of the historic parade to Vancouver's streets set to be followed by a bigger parade in Surrey, southeastof Vancouver, next weekend shows the unity and acceptance of the Punjabi community within Canada.

"We are involving more youth, and involving more of the general public, because [Vaisakhi] is for everyone," said Jarnail Singh Bhandal, the secretary of the historic Ross Street gurdwara located in South Vancouver.

A large tractor is festooned with gold flags and festive attachments at the head of a parade of people.
Large parade floats were at the parade Saturday. Organizers say the 'pent-up' anticipation from the community was immense. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Bhandal said that, pre-pandemic, the parade would see around 150,000 people attend. This year, he estimated double that amount 300,000 were celebrating the harvest festival.

"Sikhism believes in the united nation and we believe that we should, as Canadians, we should unite, celebrate what we have and be thankful to the Almighty for what he has given us and move forward," said Jag Sanghera, a parade marshal for the event.

A large open-air bus adorned with gold attachments passes through a parade of people.
The parade was largely held on 49th Avenue between Main and Fraser Streets, the location of North America's oldest Little India. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Music, bright colours and decorated floats were seen at the parade, including a tent from CBC Vancouver.

A woman bows down before a parade float, with other people flanking her.
Sikhism's holiest scripture the Guru Granth Sahib was carried through the parade in a float. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

The Sikh holy scriptures known as the Guru Granth Sahib were carried through the streets on a float.

A Sikh man in a motorcycle leads a parade of people behind him on a rainy street.
A rainy Saturday did not deter the spirits of festival-goers. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim was in attendance Saturday, as was B.C. United Leader Kevin Falcon and B.C. Premier David Eby.

A white man wearing an orange head covering talks to a Sikh man with thousands of people behind him.
B.C Premier David Eby was in attendance Saturday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)

"It's a wonderful celebration in a time of, it feels like, growing divisions," Eby told CBC News.

"It's a good reminder for all of us that the community can get together, celebrate in this way, recognize our differences and be proud to be Canadians and British Columbians."

With files from Sohrab Sandhu