As Yuba City braces for its population to double this weekend, the Sikh community prepares for its biggest event of the year — the Sikh Festival and Parade.
The 36th annual Sikh Festival begins at 8 a.m. Friday and will celebrate the anniversary of the coronation of Sikhs' holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, as the religion's living guru.
The headliner of the weekend, the Sikh Parade, starts at 11 a.m. Sunday.
But there will be an open house and a bazaar, with vendors selling clothes, jewelry, art and more, on Saturday, as well as a fireworks display starting at 8 p.m. at the Sikh Temple on Friday.
More than 80,000 people are expected to attend the event, which is claimed to be the largest single gathering in Northern California.
"It's absolutely the biggest event of the year," said John Dukes, mayor of Yuba City.
The scripture, which has 1,430 pages of the teachings of six Sikh gurus as well as selected Hindu and Sufi teachings, will be read continuously at the Sikh Temple on Tierra Buena Road throughout the weekend.
The book is also at the forefront of the other main event of the weekend, the Sikh Parade.
Non-Sikhs are welcome to attend the event, which is also expected to serve about 400,000 free, vegetarian meals over weekend.
"Everybody is welcome. The whole community is welcome all three days," said Kulwant Johl, a board member for the Sikh Temple.
"Come try the food, learn something about the religion and meet the Sikh community." The internationally attended event puts Yuba City on the map, Dukes said.
"Tourists come and see our community, and then go back and talk about it," Dukes said. "It's a great PR thing for our city."
Schedule of events
Friday
8 a.m. — The 2015 Sikh Festival starts with a worship service and kirtan (yogic chanting) at the Sikh Temple.
8 p.m. — Diwali (festival of light) fireworks at the Sikh Temple.
Saturday
9 a.m. — The raising of the Nishan Sahib, the Sikh flag, followed by morning worship and kirtan.
1 p.m. — A seminar, open to the public and in English, at the Sikh Temple to discuss the Sikh religion and its teachings, as well as a discussion about the future of Sikhism in India.
2 p.m. — Open house, tour of the temple complex and grounds.
6 p.m.-midnight — A Rain sabaee kirtan worship service. Rain sabaee means "night so beautiful."
All day — A bazaar with shopping stalls and sellers of hard-to-find Sikh clothing, articles of faith, books and a variety of other items such as dry goods, blankets and carpets.
Sunday
11 a.m.— Guru Gadee Nagar Kirtan 36th annual Sikh Parade. A float bearing the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy scripture) is followed by a procession of floats and devotees winding through the streets of Yuba City along a 4.5-mile loop.
What to know logistically
The Sikh Parade starts at 11 a.m. Sunday. The 4.5-mile route will begin at the Sikh Temple at 2468 Tierra Buena Road, Yuba City.
The parade will move from Tierra Buena Road and head east on Butte House Road. It will turn south on Civic Center Road, head west on Poole Boulevard before turning north on Tharp Road. The parade will then rejoin Butte House Road and return to the temple.
Parking for the parade will be available at River Valley High School at 801 El Margarita Road. Up to twenty-five buses will provide continuous service from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. between River Valley High School and the intersection of Hooper Road and True Road, just a short walk from the temple site.
The first bus will depart from the high school at 8 a.m., and the last bus will depart from the Hooper and True stop at 6:30 p.m. From the high school, passengers will board in the small visitor parking lot on Spirit Way between Harter Parkway and El Margarita Road just south of Colusa Highway.
All-weather parking is available in both the west and east high school lots along Spirit Way, and overflow parking is available nearby. Changeable message signs on Highway 20 will direct visitors to the pick-up location at the high school, where staff will be standing by to assist.
Drivers should expect heavy traffic congestion and street closures on Sunday, according to the Yuba City Police Department:
• Colusa Frontage Road east of George Washington Boulevard will be closed east- and westbound.
• Butte House Road from Hooper Road to Tharp Road will be closed.
• Tierra Buena Road from Butte House Road to Pease Road will be closed.
• Harter Road north of Colusa Highway will be bus traffic only.
• Other portions of the parade route will be closed as necessary.
For any traffic questions, call the Yuba City Police Traffic unit at 822-4795.
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