'You unite together': Khalsa Day parade brings thousands to downtown Toronto

Naama Weingarten · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 27, 2025 7:44 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

Showers of yellowish flags flooded Toronto's streets Sunday arsenic thousands from the Sikh assemblage attended the Khalsa Day parade. 

Khalsa Day, besides known arsenic Vaisakhi, marks the Sikh New Year on with the constitution of the Sikh assemblage each the mode backmost successful 1699, according to the Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwaras Council (OSGC).

The yearly parade on Lake Shore Boulevard has go 1 of the biggest events successful the metropolis since it began successful 1986, according to the OSGC. People flocked the streets waving the Sikh flag, with a marching set playing tunes accompanying ample vehicles adorned with colourful decorations. 

"We person a precise affluent and precise brave history," said Manjit Parmar, an lawsuit co-ordinator for the OSGC.  

"Inclusiveness is simply a large portion of Sikhism and that's what we are present to observe on with everybody other successful Toronto," helium said. 

Tajinder Singh, who made his mode from Brampton for the parade, says this time ever feels peculiar due to the fact that of however it brings radical together. 

"When you permission your state and erstwhile you're successful Canada, this is precise important. You unite together," helium said. 

The parade started from the Canadian National Exhibition astatine 1 p.m. arsenic the ample radical made its mode eastbound to metropolis hall, wherever dignitaries addressed the crowd.

Those who didn't be the parade mightiness person had a hard clip navigating astir the metropolis arsenic determination were respective thoroughfare closures crossed the downtown core. 

Portions of Lake Shore Boulevard West, York Street, University Avenue and Queen Street West were closed until the precocious afternoon, with Queen Street West remaining closed betwixt Bay and York Streets until 9 p.m., according to police. 

The parade comes conscionable a time aft an SUV slammed into a assemblage astatine the Filipino Lapu Lapu Festival successful Vancouver, sidesplitting 11 radical and injuring aggregate others. 

In a station to X, Toronto constabulary said "our precedence is to support a harmless situation for everyone. Officers volition beryllium contiguous to supply security, negociate traffic, and enactment this important taste celebration." 

Parmar said they were successful changeless interaction with constabulary passim the time and were told determination were nary threats. As of Sunday afternoon, constabulary reported nary incidents.