Vaisakhi Festival — a celebration of Sikh and Punjabi culture — returns to Trafalgar Square this April.
The festival marks the beginning of the Punjabi New Year, and is celebrated in various events worldwide.
London's official Vaisakhi celebrations — on Saturday 22 April — take the form of a whole afternoon of entertainment, presented by comedians Tommy Sandhu and Sukh Ojla.
Events taking place between 12pm-6pm include:
- Performances from sarangi player and power-house vocalist Amrit Kaur, tabla player extraordinaire, Tablejedi, and Dhol Academy.
- Demonstration of the intense Sikh martial art, Gatka, by Baba Fateh Singh Gatka Akhaara. Here, wooden sticks ('gatka') are used in place of swords.
- Free samples of traditional Punjabi delicacies and Indian tea (langar).
- Cooking demos from chef Manpreet Singh, and nutritional talks from Juggy Sidhu.
- A Sikh art exhibition.
- Educational talks on Vaiskahi.
- A kid's marquee with fun family activities.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said in 2022:
Here in London the Sikh community makes a massive contribution to making London the greatest city in the world. One of the great things about London is we don't just tolerate difference, we embrace it, we respect it, and we celebrate it.
Vaisakhi Festival, Trafalgar Square, 22 April, 12pm-6pm. It's free to attend.
