April is Sikh Heritage Month in BC, celebrating the rich cultural heritage and many contributions Sikhs have made across the province. Now in its seventh year, the annual celebration is all about raising awareness and appreciation for Sikh culture through a variety of events and interactive programming throughout the month.
“Since 2017, April has been marked as Sikh Heritage Month in BC to honour the invaluable contributions Sikhs have made to our province over the last century,” says Attorney General Niki Sharma. “The roots of Sikh heritage run deep in BC. The first Sikh migrants came here in the early 1900s, and today, there are nearly 300,000 Sikhs who call this province home.”
Despite facing discrimination and racism, Sikh Canadians have built flourishing communities, establishing cultural landmarks like “North America’s first gurdwara in Golden, BC,” according to Sharma.
At the forefront of Metro Vancouver’s lineup of events celebrating Sikh culture, art, and music is the Sikh Heritage Society of BC, a volunteer-run initiative providing space for the Sikh community to connect.
According to the Society, the Government of Canada officially recognized Sikh Heritage Month on April 30th, 2019.
Ready to explore a variety of art exhibits, museum visits, speaker series, and concerts?
Recent Posts:
A new block party celebrating Filipino culture & heritage is coming to Vancouver
12 stunning road trip destinations to check out in BC this spring
View this post on Instagram
Here are all the events celebrating Sikh Heritage Month in Metro Vancouver and beyond:
- Sikhs Speak Embracing Chardi Kala – Saturday, April 6th – SFU Surrey
- Sikhi Through Art at the Royal BC Museum – Saturday, April 6th – Royal BC Museum
- Kirtan in the Valley – Saturday, April 6th – Langley
- Simran Smagam – Sunday April 7th to Friday, April 12th – Gobind Sarvar High School, Surrey
- Vaisakhi – Autism Awareness Day – Sunday, April 7th – Shaheed Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar building, Surrey
- Unlocking the Wisdom of Gurmukhs: A Journey with Guru Nanak Sahib Ji – Sunday, April 7th – Virtual
- WhyGuru Course- Basics of Sikhi – Monday, April 8th to Friday, April 12th – SFU Surrey, Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara, UBC, and Crescent Beach
- Vancouver Nagar Kirtan – Saturday, April 13th – Ross Street Gurdwara
- Kaum- Art Exhibition – Sunday, April 14th – Surrey City Hall
- Live at Lunch: Negotiating Criminality – The Story of Mewa Singh – Wednesday, April 17th –
- Surrey Nagar Kirtan – Saturday, April 20th – Dasmesh Darbar Gurdwara, Surrey
- 1984- The Female Perspective – Sunday, April 21st
- Gatka Workshop – Wednesday, April 24th
- Blossoming: Eeshar Singh Live in Concert – Friday, April 26th – Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
- Vaiskahi Jorh Mela – Saturday, April 27th – Khalsa School Old Yale Road, Surrey
- Victoria Nagar Kirtan – Sunday, April 28th – Gurdwara Singh Sabha Sahib, Victoria
- Spirit High, Pressure Low: Chardi Kala Blood Pressure Clinic – Sunday, April 28th – Ross Street Gurudwara
- Children’s Book Reading Event – Saturday, May 4th –
So there you have it, Metro Vancouver. Happy Sikh Heritage Month!