After a long three years, Kelowna residents had something to celebrate on the warmest day of the year to date.
Thousands of people flooded the streets of Rutland at the Kelowna Sikh Temple for Vaisakhi, a month-long holiday celebrated by the Sikh community. Vaisakhi is the celebration of the spring harvest and in some areas, marks the Indian Solar New Year. This year, the holiday runs from April 14 to early May.
To celebrate, the temple put on a parade that went started on Sumac Road East and went up to Sycamore Road East. The parade then turned left onto Wallace Road and finished on Ortt Road to complete its route back at the temple.
Not only were the streets full but the temple’s parking lot was, too.
More than 20 vendors were giving out food, drinks, and more. Many of the stands handed their food out at no charge because that is a part of Sikh culture. It could also be seen as the parade went on as many Sikh people live on the parade route and had their own stands in front of their houses where they would hand out food to everyone walking by.
This was the 10th time a Vaisakhi parade has been held in Kelowna.
The Kelowna Sikh Temple is located at 1111 Rutland Road North.
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jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
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