Event Spotlight: Turban Up with Dalraj Singh
Turban Up is Canada’s premiere Sikhi Awareness day that brings the community’s history, art, and values to the core of downtown Toronto. Turban Up engages Canadians from all walks of life and shares an experience that communicates what is means to be a Sikh. Turban Up has been hosting their event at Yonge-Dundas Square (YDS) for the past seven years. The event aims to bring the country’s multicultural values to life, takes the mystery out of the turban in a fun and colourful way, and fosters bonds between people of all backgrounds!
We got the scoop on what it’s like organizing and hosting Turban Up from one of the event organizers Darlaj Singh from Experience Sikhi. Check it out!
Q & A
Q: How did you get into events?
A: I began as a volunteer at Turban Up in 2015, as one of the servers in the Langar (free community kitchen) section. Over the next few years, I began to further my involvement with the Experience Sikhi Organization and was given the chance to join the Turban Up event planning team. During this time, I learned the ins and outs of organizing an event in partnership with YDS. I now hold the honour of acting as the YDS liaison for the Experience Sikhi Organization and Turban Up every year!
Q: What can people expect at your event?
A: There is so much to experience at Turban Up and we are constantly introducing fun, new activities. The main event is the turban tying which takes place in the middle of the Square. Participants can select their colour of choice and our volunteers proceed to tie a turban on them, while explaining the historic and spiritual significance of the turban for Sikhs across the world. Aside from that, participants can visit booths, including ones displaying art, classical Indian instruments, face-painting and calligraphy.
On the stage is our Sikh history timeline, which is aimed at educating the masses and introducing them to tales and figures they may not be familiar with. We also have a Langar station, musical performances and martial arts demonstrations. There is something for everyone to enjoy!
Q: Why do you host your event at Yonge-Dundas Square?
A: Being in the heart of downtown Toronto, in front of the Eaton Centre and amidst the busiest intersection in Canada are all reasons we choose YDS. We meet people from all over the world who are exploring Toronto, workers who are enjoying their lunch break, students walking from class and shoppers from the mall. The diversity that the Square attracts is second to none and truly resonates with the goal of this event, which is to promote community partnerships and eradicate ignorance with education and shared experiences.
Q: How has COVID-19 made you see your event differently?
A: It has definitely impacted the intimacy of the event. One of the most attractive features of Turban Up is the relationship formed between the volunteer tying the turban and the participant wearing the turban. This challenge has altered our game plan in terms of creating that bond between all the people we interact with during the event.
Q: How would you describe your event and the YDS experience to someone visiting the city for the first time?
A: It is an opportunity to experience Toronto and Canada’s diversity all at once. People from all different backgrounds, races, religions and countries attend Turban Up. It’s a beautiful experience for someone visiting the city for the first time to see and meet people that look like them, interact with others that don’t and have the turban as the one unifying factor between everyone.
The chance to educate yourself about a community and religious symbol that you may not have had exposure to is an exciting opportunity for visitors and volunteers alike.
Q: What is the funniest/craziest thing that’s ever happened on event day?
A: The funniest experience we’ve had on event day was a surprise visit from Spiderman! He rocked an amazing navy blue turban which matched his suit perfectly!
Q: What is the most challenging thing about producing your event?
A: There are many moving parts when it comes to producing Turban Up, which include partnerships with community organizations, various vendors, musicians, artists, creators, educators, etc. Being able to bring all those moving pieces into one space can be a tough task, however with the help of an amazing team this is done with ease and the event is a huge success every year.
Q: How can the community support your event as you move forward?
A: Attend! We love seeing new faces and the numbers continue to increase year by year. We are always looking to receive constructive criticism from all our participants and volunteers, and those can always be submitted via email or any of our social media platforms!
Q: What is your favourite Toronto event (other than your own, of course)?
A: The Downtown Toronto Khalsa Day Parade is a very memorable event. Seeing a sea of orange and blue take over the heart of Toronto as the Sikh community celebrate Vaisakhi alongside all Torontonians is an amazing experience for all.
Q: How can people get involved with your event?
A: They can visit our website experiencesikhi.com or any of our social media platforms (@ExperienceSikhi) to get updates about Turban Up, sign-up to volunteer and gather more information about the upcoming event!
