ABOVE: Surrey’s Vaisakhi parade marked the first public appearance for the city’s mayor since a break in the ranks of her “Surrey First” alliance. Jennifer Palma reports.
Surrey’s Sikh community celebrated Vaisakhi Day, one of the most important days in the Sikh calendar.
The event was expected to attract more than 200,000 people and is one of the world’s largest parades outside India. Last week, Vancouver celebrated its 25th annual Vaisakhi parade, attracting tens of thousands of people.
Among those in the crowd was Surrey Mayor Diane Watts, making her first public appearance surrey councillor Barinder Rasode announced she was leaving Surrey First to sit as an independent.
And while rumours of Watts’ future swirl, she said “It’s a day for Vaisakhi. It’s not a day for campaigning or electioneering.”
The parade began at 9:30 this morning at Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar Temple, followed by live music and free food courtesy of local businesses.
More than 20 community organizations took part in this year’s parade.
Watch: Global’s Jennifer Palma reports from the Vaisakhi Day parade in Surrey.
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