Vaisakhi parade Saturday

Photo: Castanet Staff

Sikhs from across the Okanagan will come together to celebrate this weekend.

Kelowna's eighth annual Vaisakhi parade will roll through the streets on Saturday, beginning at noon. The parade begins and ends at the Sikh Temple on Rutland Road.

"This is one of the most significant holidays on the Sikh calendar. It's when the Sikh religion started, in 1699," says spokesman Paramjit Singh Patara.

"It's a religious holiday, commemorating the establishment of the Sikh religion. Vaisakhi is also celebrated in the region of Punjab as a harvest festival as well," where April marks the harvest of the winter crop.

"The farmers thank God for the good harvest and pray for prosperity in the future."

Saturday's parade will feature colourful costumes and floats, along with free food along its route.

The parking lot at the Sikh Temple will also be full of people and businesses with different foods as well.

Numerous streets on and around the parade route will be closed until about 3 p.m. There will be a partial lane closure in front of the temple entrance between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. to accommodate a drop off zone for participants. 
 
Sumac Road will be closed from Rutland Road to Keyes Road for the duration of the event. There will be a short road closure for approximately 20 minutes on McCurdy Road from Rutland Road to Craig Road between 2 and 3 p.m. Motorists will be detoured onto Aldon Road and Hartman Road.
 
Rolling closures will continue along Ortt Road, Wallace Road, Sycamore Road, Sumac Road, Friesen Road, and Keyes Road.

Pedestrian crossings will be restricted along Rutland Road. Dedicated crossings will be made available to cross at Almond Court, McCurdy Road and Wallace Road. Transit service may experience delays.