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Dashmesh Culture Centre covers Calgary Transit fares Saturday

Approximately 60,000 people participated in the Nagar Kirtan parade in northeast Calgary in 2019, part of the Sikh community's Vaisakhi celebration. Approximately 60,000 people participated in the Nagar Kirtan parade in northeast Calgary in 2019, part of the Sikh community's Vaisakhi celebration.
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In celebration of this weekend's Nagar Kirtan parade in the city's northeast, Calgary Transit will be free to ride throughout the city for a 12-hour period on Saturday.

The waiving of all fares will be in place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 14 and includes all buses and CTrains in all quadrants of the city, courtesy the Dashmesh Culture Centre.

Organizers encourage all Calgarians, not just northeast residents and members of the Sikh community, to attend the parade.

The free Calgary Transit rides are offered to everyone, even those who are not attending the Vaisakhi celebration — the biggest event of the Sikh calendar.

The parade, which is second only to the Stampede Parade amongst the largest parades held annually in the province, will begin at 10 a.m. at the Dashmesh Culture Centre Gurdwara in Martindale and makes its way to Prairie Winds Park.

Previous editions of the parade in northeast Calgary have attracted crowds of more than 60,000 people, but the 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to regular weekend transit service, the centre has arranged community shuttles for the following neighbourhoods to bring people to and from the parade:

  • Coral Springs;
  • Cornerstone/Redstone;
  • Martindale;
  • Panorama;
  • Saddleridge;
  • Skyview Ranch/Redstone;
  • Taradale; and,
  • Temple.

For more information on Saturday's free fare transit, including community shuttle service, visit Calgary Transit – Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan.

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