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A sea of vibrant colours filled the streets of Rutland as thousands of people came out to take in the 6th annual Kelowna Vaisakhi Parade.
Vaisakhi is the celebration of the Sikh New Year. Events are held around the world, often featuring live music, performers, and plenty of food stalls.
On a sunny Saturday in Kelowna, thousands converged at the Okanagan Sikh Temple to take part in the event. Many women wore traditional clothing that is often made of bright colours and sparkling jewels. Plenty of men in the crowd wore turban’s, with yellow or orange being a popular colour for headwear.
Prior to the start of the parade, people explored the grounds the Okanagan Sikh Temple. Live music played in the background as people of all ages and ethnicities took in the bright colours, traditional music and rich smells of Indian cuisine.
The parade began just before 1p.m., with the Sikh Riders of Canada leading the group. Behind the stream of motorcycles was the float from the Okanagan Sikh Temple. As it slowly made its way through the entrance gates of the temple, swarms of people pushed to reach it, placing donations into cubbies that sat along the sides. Cultural diversity was on full display, as a float from the Asian Heritage Okanagan also passed, filled with people from all different ethnicities.
As each float pulled out of the parking lot from the Sikh Temple, thousands joined in, walking with family and friends through the Rutland neighborhood that is home to the temple. While some neighbours set up lawn chairs to enjoy the passing event, others set up stalls in their driveways, offering parade attendee’s homemade food to enjoy while they walked with the floats.
The Okanagan Sikh Temple and Cultural Society was incorporated in November, 1979. At that time, there were only 34 Sikh families in the area. Three years later, Kelowna’s first Sikh temple opened and by the mid 90’s, the Sikh population had grown substantially. In order to accommodate more and more families moving to the Okanagan, a new facility was built. Plans for the now standing Okanagan Sikh Temple were drawn up in 2003, with the new building opening to the public in 2008.
For more photos of today's festivities, click here!
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