Yuba City is once again preparing to more than double its population as one of the world's largest Sikh gatherings outside India returns to Northern California for its 46th year. The annual Nagar Kirtan, commonly known as the Sikh Parade, will draw an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 attendees to the city of 70,000 residents from November 1-3, 2025.
The three-day festival celebrates the installation of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib as the living Guru of Sikhism, featuring a 4.5-mile procession that has become the region's largest tourist draw. According to Sacramento Bee, Sikh Temple Gurdwara president Sarb Thiara expects this year's event to be even larger than 2024's record-breaking celebration. "It was the biggest one I've ever seen," Thiara said of last year's festivities.
A Festival Born From Vision
The parade has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1980. As documented by the UC Davis Punjabi Digital Archive, the event was founded by Didar Singh Bains, a peach farmer who arrived in the U.S. in 1958 with only $8 in his pocket and eventually became known as the "Peach King." After attending a Sikh parade in Canada, Bains worked tirelessly to establish a similar celebration in Yuba City, with the whole Sikh American community rallying to secure city approvals and organize the complex logistics.
Bains, who passed away in September 2022 at age 84, left an indelible mark on both the agricultural industry and the Sikh community. According to the Appeal-Democrat, he was one of 26 founding members of the Sikh Temple Gurdwara in Yuba City and donated much of the land on which the temple now stands at 2468 Tierra Buena Road.
The Logistics of Doubling a City
Hosting a gathering this massive requires year-round planning and coordination between temple organizers, local law enforcement, and city officials. But this year, as in 2024, there's a wrinkle: Yuba City hasn't approved an official parade permit. As reported by Sacramento Bee, Yuba City Police Sgt. David Krause told City Council members that the temple's parade permit request was outdated and submitted late, and therefore denied—though the parade proceeds regardless.
"I don't know that they're going to submit a new one," Krause said of the permit situation. Despite the administrative gap, local authorities continue helping orchestrate the event, recognizing that the influx of thousands of people has become inevitable. According to Territorial Dispatch, City Council members cited 16 reasons for the permit denial, including safety concerns and incomplete traffic management plans.
Transit Tensions
Another logistical challenge emerged earlier this year when Yuba-Sutter Transit ended its nearly two-decade partnership with the temple. As reported by Appeal-Democrat, the transit authority's board voted in April 2025 to discontinue shuttle services after 17 years, citing concerns about violating federal charter bus regulations that could jeopardize their federal funding. Yuba-Sutter Transit Executive Director Matthew Mauk explained that staff felt "a more in-depth examination of those charter rules was in order."
In response, temple leaders contracted with Sacramento-based Amador Stage Lines to provide shuttle services between River Valley High School and the temple grounds. The temple secretary told ABC10 that the temple allocates about $700,000 on event security and works closely with law enforcement agencies for months in advance of the festival.
A Celebration of Faith and Community
The festival begins Friday evening, October 31, with fireworks at 8 p.m. and kirtan (devotional hymns). According to Territorial Dispatch, Saturday features the raising of the Nishan Sahib (Sikh flag) at 9 a.m., followed by open house tours of the gurdwara grounds. The main parade begins Sunday morning at 11 a.m., featuring a procession led by the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) and a float carrying the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
What truly sets this festival apart is the staggering generosity of the Sikh community. As documented by the UC Davis Digital Archive, members of the Sikh community give away between 200,000 and 250,000 free meals to strangers each year on a voluntary basis. Food stalls line the parade route offering traditional dishes like pakoras, chhole poori, and ganne ka ras (freshly pressed sugar cane juice).
"It gives you joy inside knowing that you're doing something kind," one volunteer told KCRA at last year's event. "It's not just only Sikh people. Anybody can come. It's open to everyone. It's humanity."
Drawing Visitors From Around the World
The parade has become a pilgrimage of sorts for Sikhs across the globe. As reported by the Appeal-Democrat, last year's attendees included Parabh Singh, who traveled from Vancouver, Canada, and Navjeet Singh from Sacramento. For many immigrants like Navjeet Singh, who came to the United States for safety, the festival is deeply emotional. "We don't feel like we are far from our home, from our family," he said.
Puneet Sandhu, senior state policy manager at the Sikh Coalition, emphasized to ABC10 the cultural importance of the event: "When I was young, with busy immigrant parents who are always working, we didn't always necessarily have time to learn about the religion or even the culture sometimes. So, to be in a space full of people who grew up similarly to you, who worship similarly to you, and to see some of these religious and cultural displays, it's really encouraging."
Planning Ahead
The parade route starts at the Sikh Temple on Tierra Buena Road and travels to Butte House Road, Civic Center Boulevard, Poole Boulevard, and Tharp Road before returning to the temple. According to Territorial Dispatch, roads surrounding the parade will be closed on Sunday, and shuttle buses will run every 10 minutes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. between River Valley High School and the temple.
The Sutter County Sheriff's Office stated in a press release that they work year-round with partnering agencies in preparation for the event. "With collaboration of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, we tirelessly work together to ensure the safety of our communities," the statement read. For information or to report suspicious activity, residents can visit bepreparedsutter.org/sikhparade or call the Sutter County Sheriff's Office at (530) 822-7307.
Yuba City Councilmember Wade Kirchner summed up the event's significance to Sacramento Bee: "It's something that's really put us on the map, continues to be an amenity for Yuba City and something that makes us special."
