Yuba City Sikh Festival expected to bring 200,000 visitors to town this weekend
YUBA CITY — Yuba City's population is tripling this weekend as the city's annual Sikh festival just kicked off and is expected to attract 200,000 visitors.
This is the largest Sikh festival in the world, outside of India, and this year's event follows a major investigation into organized crime that had targeted this Northern California Sikh community.
The event is now in its fourth decade. Dejinder Dosanjh is the secretary of the temple hosting this massive celebration.
"I can see people already from L.A., Bay Area, even Washington, [and] Portland, Oregon," Dosanjh said.
The event has grown so large that the FBI and California Highway Patrol now help with security.
"Our main focus every year is to get all the youth involved, you know, stay away from violence," said Sutter County District Attorney Jennifer Dupré.
This year's festival follows a major bust announced by Dupré in April rooting out violence that had plagued the Sikh community in recent years.
"This operation shows not just Sutter County's commitment to keeping Sikh celebrations and the Sikh community safe, but those communities and celebrations throughout Northern California," Dupré said.
In April, the district attorney announced the arrest of 17 members of rival criminal syndicates they say are responsible for violence in Sutter and surrounding counties dating back to an attack on a man at this Yuba City festival in 2018.
The arrests led to renewed peace in this Sikh community.
"We are living in one nation, under one God, liberty and justice for all," Dosanjh said.
Law enforcement is staffing up this weekend to handle the crowds. The festival ends Sunday with a parade through Yuba City.