80,000 Expected for Toronto Khalsa Day Parade

May 3, 2006

Source: Toronto Sun

http://torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2006/04/30/1557547-sun.html

On May 3, 2006 the Toronto Sun reported, "As many as 80,000 Sikhs are expected to turn out for the annual Khalsa Day celebrations at the Better Living Centre on the Exhibition grounds [in Toronto], followed by a parade to City Hall. 'It will be a huge parade,' co-ordinator Manjit Parmar said yesterday. 'Because of the beautiful weather we are predicting even more than the 50,000 that are normally there.' Forecasters are predicting solid sunshine today with the mercury expected to reach a high of 17C. Khalsa Day festivities mark the new year and the establishment of the Sikh religion in 1699, and this is the 21st annual celebration in Toronto, Parmar said. The event -- featuring colourful floats, martial arts performers and people dressed in traditional saffron colours -- has become the city's third largest parade."