Sikh community in Timmins hosts first Annual Khalsa Day Parade
With hundreds of students from India who attend Northern College, and other professionals from India who've moved to the city to work, organizers said they felt it was time to bring everyone together to celebrate their culture with the rest of the community.
“We celebrate the birth of Khalsa, our Sikh way of life. This is the day we become Sikh back in 1699," said Kanwaljit Bains, director of Sikh Sangat of Timmins.
Sikh Sangat of Timmins established its Gurdwara in December, and on Saturday the first Annual Khalsa Day Parade wound its way throughout the core of Timmins.
The community was invited to immerse itself in a Punjabi festival, the first of its kind for Timmins and all of northern Ontario.
“I just keep thinking after the long dark days of COVID, to see all this joy in the streets of Timmins. This is a historic moment and my prediction is: year after year, this is going to get bigger and bigger and draw more and more people. This is a great moment for our city," said Charlie Angus, NDP MP Timmins-James Bay.
The parade route included parts of the downtown, by Hollinger Park, up Algonquin Boulevard and back to the Gurdwara. Along the way, there were moments to stop for refreshments such as water and fruit.
"All cultures together, absolutely amazing history and food and absolutely gorgeous costumes. We need to have this variety here," said Lilianna Staniz, who came to partake in the event.
Complimentary vegetarian Indian food was available including samosas, mango lassis and fruit with spices
“Masala gives a different flavour to the fruits, so apart from the regular tasting food you get an enhanced taste," explained Navdeep Singh, one of the members serving food.
Part of Sikh culture is to be welcoming and giving; to perform community service and selflessly help others.
'Jazzy B', a Bhangra Punjabi singer and songwriter from Vancouver is also in town to perform.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.