Vaisakhi, poetry and food trucks: What’s happening in Metro Vancouver this weekend

Thousands gathered in South Vancouver on Saturday, April 13, 2024, to celebrate Vaisakhi. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press)

The second weekend of April is approaching, and events large and small are being planned. Here are some you may want to check out.

Vancouver Vaisakhi parade

The weekend’s largest gathering is sure to be the annual Vancouver Vaisakhi parade, which is happening Saturday in and around the Khalsa Diwan Society in South Vancouver.

While not quite as big as Surrey’s parade, which takes place April 19, the Vancouver event is still one of the largest Sikh parades in the world, according to organizers.

Vaisakhi is an important holy day in Sikhism, but people of all faiths are welcome at the parade, which includes floats, community performers, live music and free vegetarian food.

The Nagar Kirtan begins at the gurdwara, 8000 Khalsa Diwan Rd., at 11 a.m. The full route and additional information can be found on the Khalsa Diwan Society website.

Sakura Days

The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival continues this weekend with the Sakura Days Japan Fair at VanDusen Botanical Garden.

Taking place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, the fair invites guests to enjoy food, entertainment and activities under the garden’s cherry blossoms.

Ticket information and performance schedules can be found on the Sakura Days website.

Verses Festival of Words

Canada’s largest alternative literary arts festival began Thursday and will continue through April 19.

The Verses Festival of Words brings spoken-word and written poetry, storytelling, singer-songwriters and improvisers to Vancouver stages in a celebration of the transformative power of words.

2025 is the festival’s 15th year. Ticket and event information can be found on its website.

VPL Indigenous Storyteller in Residence

The 2025 Vancouver Public Library Indigenous Storyteller in Residence is Chris Bose, a writer, musician and multi-disciplinary artist who is a member of the Nlaka’pamux and Secwepemc Nations.

Bose will introduce himself with an afternoon of storytelling and music at the library’s central branch on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The event is free, but attendees can register online in advance.

Skoden Indigenous Film Festival

Presented in conjunction with SFU’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit Student Association’s 3rd Annual “Honouring Indigenous Students” Powwow on Saturday, the Skoden Indigenous Film Festival brings two evening screenings to the Burnaby campus on Friday.

Running from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at SFU’s Leslie and Gordon Diamond Family Auditorium, the free event features “film programs and Q&As celebrating Indigenous voices and cultivating more active discussions about reconciliation,” according to organizers.

Food Truck Wars

Head to the Cloverdale Exhibition Grounds in Surrey this weekend to participate in what organizers call “the fourth annual battle of B.C.’s best food trucks.”

A total of 35 street food vendors will be on hand Friday through Sunday, competing for a variety of awards, and festival-goers can vote for their favourites.

Live entertainment, an artisan market and a dedicated kids’ zone are also planned. Tickets are not mandatory, but can be booked for free online, which organizers encourage, as it helps with planning.

The event runs from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Trout Lake Earth Day celebration

Earth Day isn’t until April 22, but East Vancouver’s Trout Lake Community Centre is celebrating early with a variety of free activities this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Games, crafts, workshops, a nature walk and storytelling are just some of the planned events. While the celebration is free, organizers ask attendees to register in advance.