Annual Vaisakhi Parade in Surrey, B.C., cancelled for the 2nd year

For the second year in a row, the annual Vaisakhi Parade in Surrey has been cancelled.

The event typically draws about 500,000 people to celebrate one of the most significant days in the Sikh calendar.

It is the largest of its kind outside of India.

People of many cultures and religions would take part in the parade, enjoy performances and sample delicious food.

2:09 Sikh community holds virtual Vaisakhi amid pandemic

However, organizers say there is no way this year’s event could be held safely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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“We will celebrate this important date in the Sikh calendar within our family groups and with special broadcast programming but will look to gather again as a community for the traditional Surrey Vaisakhi Khalsa Day Parade in 2022,” Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar president Moninder Singh said in a release.