Abbotsford Sikh Parade Draws Thousands
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Updated: September 10, 2009 6:55 AM
Cloudy skies did not deter thousands of worshipers from participating in this year’s Sikh parade on Sunday.
The parade drew an estimated 30,000 Sikhs from all over B.C. and beyond.
This year marks the 405th anniversary of the installation of the Sikh holy scriptures also known as the Shri Guru Granth Sahib. The holy text was compiled in 1604 by the fifth of 10 successive gurus who Sikhs have regarded as their highest spiritual leaders over the past five centuries.
The parade travelled from the temple on Blueridge Drive to Exhibition Park and then back to the temple, leaving at about 11 a.m. and arriving back at about 5 p.m. In addition to its religious significance, the parade is a celebration of music, performances and food.
Sikhism is the second most prominent religion in Abbotsford after Christianity, and Sikhs comprise approximately 13.4 per cent of the population.
The next major cultural event in Abbotsford will be the second annual Multicultural Festival, coming up on Sept. 26.
Organizer Musleh Hakki said the first festival drew between 3,000 and 4,000 people to the Ag-Rec Building.
This year, in the new Entertainment and Sports Centre, he expects the event to draw about double that. The festival will offer ethnic entertainment, food and goods, and is a free event. For information see www.abbyfest.com.
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