Vaisakhi Me!

I love local festivals. The food, the people, the excitement of seeing something new around every corner. I love seeing the Austrian slap dance at the European Festival and the cute kids in Kimonos at Powell Street festival. However, Vaisakhi seemed to elude me over the years. I would always remember, a little too late, that the Sikh celebration of the creation of the Khalsa was being marked with a street festival and parade around Main and Fraser Street. I would show up just in time to find stalls closing up and stores and sponsors fresh out of food.

This year would be different. I made note of the date and showed up with plenty of time to walk the crowded streets. Families were out while businesses, associations and families were handing out free food to the crowds. Everything from pakoras to chai was freely provided while children got masks and balloons. Sweet rice puddings and spicy lentil dishes made the rounds and a generous, boisterous attitude filled the streets.

I watched the slow, methodical parade of floats, bagpipers and drummers pass me by only to find that I had completely missed the activities on Main Street. Through the steady sounds of shouts, laughter and bhangra music I walked towards the other half of the festival to find that most of the stalls had already shutdown.

I guess this means that I’ll have to come back next year to see the other half of the festival.