The largest
celebration in Canada of Independence Day, the India Day Parade, will take
place in Toronto today (18 August) amid heightened security as pro-Khalistan elements are holding a counter rally at the
same venue.
The India Day Parade
attracts a significant crowd and is held on the first Sunday following August
15. In 2023, it drew nearly 150,000 visitors, according to Vaidehi Bhagat,
chair of Panorama India, the umbrella group of Indo-Canadian cultural outfits,
which organises the annual event.
Among the highlights
of this year’s celebration will be displaying the “largest Indian flag outside
India”, she said, as well as the tricolour being hoisted at the City Hall
podium. The parade will feature 20
floats, including those from several Indian states.
The venue for the main
celebration is the Nathan Philips Square in downtown Toronto. Major attractions include food stalls
featuring a variety of Indian cuisine as well as cultural performances. The
celebration on Sunday will be special for Panorama India, a non-profit, as it
will also mark the silver anniversary of the Parade. Bhagat expected the venue
to be full despite the forecast of rain on the day.