With about 20 floats from various South Asian community groups that will travel the nearly 10-kilometre parade route - along which 70,000 to 100,0000 spectators are expected - this week has been the temple's busiest yet.
"We start at least a month before, trying to prepare the floats, getting them ready, decorating them, and getting all ... the dresses together for the people who walk in front," said gurdwara office manager, Amarjit Rai. "In Gurdwara (we're) preparing sweets. We do all our own preparation, we don't buy anything from anywhere.
"(We're) pressure washing the whole Sikh temple because all the guests will be coming ... trying to clean up the place, deck up the place nice.
Vancouver's Vaisakhi parade, the oldest in North America, was based at an old temple on West 2nd Avenue until it moved to its current location on Ross Street.
"Vaisakhi - it has two meanings, actually," Rai said.
The first is the celebration of the harvest for farmers in Punjab. But the second and "bigger reason now for the Sikhs to celebrate" is that Vaisakhi marks the birthday of Sikhs.
"This is the day when the Sikhs came into being," said Rai, adding it dates to 1699. "The people started wearing turbans - the identity of all the turbans and long hair, that's what started in 1699."
The parade will kick off from the temple gates at 11 a.m. The gurdwara's float will lead the way, with the holy book and singers performing religious hymns as Sikhs march ahead outfitted in the colourful orange dress of baptized Sikhs, blue turbans and swords in hand.
They'll be followed by floats from local bhangra groups, the Punjabi school, and Sikh motorcycle club, to name just a few.
The parade will head south down Ross and along Marine Drive to Main, then move north to 49th Avenue.
After speeches and a presentation, the parade will continue east to Fraser, south to 57th and back to the temple.
All along the parade route, vendors and restaurants will be out with Vaisakhi's trademark free food."
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