Victoria is preparing for a busy Sunday as the tc 10k route and the annual Khalsa Day celebrations are expected to bring major traffic disruptions across parts of the city. About 7, 000 people are expected to take part in the Greater Victoria Sikh community’s Vaisakhi celebrations, with the day centered at Gurdwara Singh Sabha at 470 Cecilia Rd. in Victoria.
The celebrations begin at 8 a. m. and run until 4 p. m., with a parade and procession, known as the Nagar Kirtan, starting at the temple at 10 a. m. Organizers say the day will include music, food, demonstrations and activities for children, while 40 to 50 tents will line the street around the temple with traditional food and Sikh history displays.
tc 10k route and parade activity set up a crowded Sunday
The tc 10k route is part of the wider traffic picture city residents are being asked to plan around, with police warning of significant delays tied to both the race area and the Khalsa Day parade. The overlap of events is expected to affect movement near the temple and surrounding streets as thousands gather for the annual celebration.
Jindi Singh of the Gurdwara Singh Sabha Victoria, which is organizing the Vaisakhi event for the sixth consecutive year, said the day is meant to be open and welcoming. “There is lots of singing, colour, food and celebration and we want everyone to come and share with us, ” Singh said.
Organizers add precautions after last year’s tragedy
Singh said organizers are taking extra precautions in the wake of the Lapu Lapu Day street festival tragedy last April in East Vancouver, where a man drove into a crowd, killing 11 people and injuring more than 30 others. The group is working with the city and Victoria police on added precautions, including parade marshals along the route and buses used to seal off roads at the site.
There will also be demonstrations of Gatka, a Sikh martial art, as part of the day’s programming. Singh said people typically share food and music during Vaisakhi, which is celebrated around the world with gatherings and prayers for a good year ahead.
Why the day matters in the community
Vaisakhi marks the establishment of the Khalsa, or the Sikh Nation, in 1699 and is considered one of the most important days in the Sikh calendar. Singh said Vancouver Island has one of the longest-established Sikh populations in Canada, with a presence since 1903 and a temple since 1912.
The Gurdwara Sahib Khalsa Diwan Society on Topaz Avenue, rebuilt in 1969, is considered one of the oldest sites of Sikh worship in North America, and it held its Vaisakhi event earlier this month. For drivers and families heading downtown or toward the temple area, the tc 10k route is expected to remain part of the Sunday planning picture as Victoria manages a full day of race and celebration traffic.
