On April 8, Vaisakhi colours are returning to BC Place for a second consecutive year as the Vancouver Whitecaps FC will be celebrating Vaisakhi night.
Vaisakhi, also known as Baisakhi, is an important date in the Sikh calendar, typically occurring on April 13 or April 14 each year.
“I think it’s important for all cultures to feel like they belong and having an event like Vaisakhi is one of those opportunities,” Sarita Patel said, she is a sports reporter for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Vaisakhi originated as an harvest festival in the Punjab region of northern India. It marks the celebration of the creation of the Khalsa order, promoting justice and equality.
“It was an experience of a life time. I was wearing a Punjabi outfit and I got to walk out on to the field wearing my clothes and it made me feel so special being able to celebrate my culture with my team,” Patel said.
Last year, the Whitecaps celebrated their first Vaisakhi night when the sound of dhol (a double-headed drum) echoed through the arena as the audience witnessed a mesmerizing display of Punjabi culture.
The Whitecaps believe celebrating Vaisakhi is to acknowledge the contributions of the Punjabi community and to encourage the younger generation to chase their football dream.
“The focus is on our style of play, being offensive being direct, being very aggressive when we don’t have the ball, in order to bring the colour and the passion of Vaisakhi also on the field,” Vanni Sartini said, who is the head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
The Whitecaps will play against Portland on Vaisakhi night, which head coach Sartini said is a traditional rival. He is optimistic for a Whitecaps victory on Vaisakhi night.
