For the first time since 2019, the Surrey Khalsa Day Vaisakhi Parade is returning this weekend and a huge turnout is expected to say the least. Organizers of the Surrey Vaisakhi Parade are planning for 700,000 attendees this year and attendees are being warned ahead of time about road closures.
The parade will begin at approximately 9:30am at Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar Temple, located at 12885-85 Avenue, and conclude at 4pm. The parade will travel along 124th Street and turn left onto 75th Avenue. From there it’ll continue on 76th Avenue and onto 128th Street before reaching the Temple. The parade will feature a variety of floats, community groups, live music and dancers.
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Road closures will be in place from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm on the day of the parade. Delays may be expected for travel between 72 Avenue to 88 Avenue, and Scott Road to King George Boulevard.
Residents do not need a permit to pass through the closed area, but they will need to show their BC Driver’s License to traffic officials to be allowed through.
Surrey RCMP are encouraging people to plan ahead.
“We look forward to coming together for the Surrey Vaisakhi Day Parade and celebrating this community event alongside families and residents,” says Corporal Sarbjit Sangha, Media Relations Officer.
“Having a plan in place with your family and friends prior to the event can be very helpful to ensure everyone stays safe throughout the celebration.”
In previous years, officers have responded to dozens of incidents of missing children or elderly persons.
Police offered some tips to stay safe:
- Take a family photo before you leave the house, this will help in locating them if needed
- Familiarize your family members with their surroundings and have a pre-planned meeting place
- Equip your family members with some form of identification and your contact information
- Keep a current photo of your child on you in case you need to describe them to police
- Keep your children within eyesight at all times
- If a family member goes missing, notify the nearest police officer to you
- If you live in the area that has been closed, please have your driver’s license with current address to provide to police at check point in order to get to your residence
For Sikhs around the world, Vaisakhi is a religious celebration that marks the spring harvest and the birth of the Khalsa order by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhism.