Annual Surrey Khalsa Day Celebration A Huge Success

The largest crowd in the history of the Surrey Khalsa Day Parade, in excess of 200,000 people from across all cultures and religions, came out to participate in what is now one of the largest free family events in the Western Canada. Held annually to commemorate one of the most important religious events on the Sikh calendar, the Surrey festival is the largest Vaisakhi celebration in the world outside of India. Observers from around the world joined people from across Western Canada at the event. Held for thirteen consecutive years in Surrey, the community-organized event brings together people from all cultures and religions.

“This event has been held in the streets of the community for the past 13 years, and we’re proud that so many people came out to this unique celebration marking the Anniversary of Khalsa in 1699,” says Moninder Singh, spokesperson for the Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar Temple, organizers of the colourful and celebratory event.

This years event was honoured with a visit by one of the five leaders of the global Sikh community, Jathedar Tarlochan Singh, who travelled from India to participate in the event.

“The people who make this event one of the largest in the world deserve to have community leaders at the highest level, like Jathedar Tarlochan Singh, available to them so the Khalsa’s concept of accountable leadership and empowered and informed citizens can take shape,” says event spokesperson Moninder Singh.