Warning to motorists as huge city parade planned
VAISAKHI CELEBRATIONS RETURN IN FULL AFTER LOCKDOWN LULL
LEICESTER is preparing to celebrate one of the largest and most colourful annual festivals in the calendar this weekend.
After two years of toned-down celebrations, more than 10,000 people from across the city, county and beyond are expected to take part in the Vaisakhi event.
The religious festival marks the Sikh new year and doubles as a spring harvest festival.
It is also celebrated by Hindus and other faith communities.
With the lifting of Covid restrictions, there will be a huge parade through the city centre for the first time in three years on Sunday.
It will follow an open day on Saturday at Leicester Museum and Art in New Walk. The museum is hosting a free day of events and activities themed around Vaisakhi, staged together with the Sikh Museum Initiative and Falcons Primary School, in Humberstone.
The event runs from 11am to 4pm and includes a performance by children of the story of Vaisakhi, a Gatka Sikh martial arts demonstration, lectures and storytelling workshops.
There will also be turban tying demonstrations, along with bhangra dance performances and Vaisakhi arts and crafts.
Leicester deputy mayor for culture, leisure and sport, Councillor Piara Singh Clair, said everyone is to join in with the festivities. “Vaisakhi celebrates the harvest time in India’s Punjab region, and also commemorates the birth of the Sikh Khalsa, and is always a busy time for celebration in Leicester,” he said.
“These events are open to anyone to take part, to bring to life this colourful celebration.”
The traditional Vaisakhi procession on Sunday regularly involves up to 10,000 participants and thousands more spectators, and will begin making its way across the city from about 11.30am.
Due to the size of the parade, drivers are being warned of possible trafGallery, fic disruption and delays in the city on Sunday.
As in previous years, the procession will gather near the Guru Nanak Gurdwara (temple), in Holy Bones, by the Holiday Inn and St Nicholas Circle.
It will set out from the Vaughan Way slip road, heading across St Nicholas Circle and on to High Street, Humberstone Gate, Charles Street, St George’s Way, Swain Street and St Peter’s Road. It will conclude at East Park Road, North Evington, at about 2.30pm.
It means that St Nicholas Circle, on the city’s inner ring road, will be closed to traffic for about one hour from 11.15am, and St George’s Way closed from about 12.30pm to 1.30pm.
Leicester City Council said it is working with police on traffic maninvited agement for the day, to ensure the city’s road network remains open.
Director of highways at the council, Martin Fletcher, said: “The Vaisakhi parade takes place every year so we have plenty of experience of managing the impact caused to other road users.
“We’re working closely with the police to ensure the event goes ahead safely, while also ensuring the impact on the city’s road network is kept to a minimum.
“However, people coming into the city centre this Sunday will need to allow extra time, and think about how they will travel into the city.
“It may be better to use public transport, or to cycle or walk into the city while the parade is taking place, or to plan visits to avoid the worst of any traffic disruption and delays.”