Nearly 300,000 people packed the streets in Surrey along the 128 route last Saturday to attend Surrey’s Khalsa Day parade, the largest Vaisakhi celebration outside of India. “It feels really good to know the community in general is coming out,” spokesperson Moninder Singh told the media. “That’s what we’ve wanted for years now, to grow it into a more community-based event. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful time.” In future years, Singh said there is talk of holding events in several neighbourhoods during the week before Vaisakhi. The parade featured more than a dozen floats from such groups as the Khalsa School, Sikh Academy, Guru Angad Dev Elementary School and the Canadian Armed Forces, as well as riders from the Sikh Motorcycle Club. Federal NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and B.C. NDP Leader John Horgan also attended Surrey’s 15th annual Vaisakhi parade.
