Compassion Through Action: Unity in Diversity
9th Annual
Sunday, August 2, 2026 · 1 - 5 PM
Cintas Center · Xavier University
Compassion Through Action:
Unity in Diversity
The 9th Annual Festival Reimagines the Interfaith Celebration with Immersive Experience Including an Exhibitor Village Exploring 30+ Faith Traditions
What's new this year?
This year’s innovative experience invites guests of all ages to explore, taste, learn, and connect through music, art, food, and interactive activities in the shared, welcoming space of Xavier University’s Cintas Center.
- A Passport Journey Through Faith and Culture
The Festival Passport, available in both printed and digital formats, invites attendees to explore, learn and engage across the Festival of Faiths. Visit Passport stops throughout the festival to experience traditions, ask questions, participate in activities and discover new perspectives. - Indoor/Outdoor Exhibitor and Vendor Village
- All attendees need to get tickets ahead of time or as they enter the exhibition.
What is the Cincinnati Festival of Faiths?
The Cincinnati Festival of Faiths is EquaSion’s annual flagship event and the city’s largest interfaith celebration. It’s a gathering of 34 faith traditions and 13 world religions from the Greater Cincinnati area. It’s an exhibition with great food and entertainment and admission is free.
More About This Year's Festival
At a time when many people feel increasingly divided, the Festival of Faiths creates space for curiosity, understanding and friendship across differences.
Visitors can explore traditions ranging from Bahá’í, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Humanist, Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, Sikh, Unitarian Universalist and Zoroastrian communities. The festival celebrates the many ways people find meaning, purpose and connection, and welcomes people of every faith tradition, as well as those with no faith tradition at all.
“This reimagined festival transforms how we think about interfaith engagement,” said Alycia McClurg, Program Manager and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “It’s not just about learning facts, it’s about experiencing the beauty of different traditions together, in one immersive space.”
The festival features live music, reflective spaces, and a dedicated children’s activity center, ensuring all ages can explore and learn in a fun, collaborative atmosphere. The Sikh community will prepare and serve a special complimentary meal, embodying the spirit of generosity and hospitality central to their tradition and the festival’s mission.
More than fifty volunteers representing ten faith traditions are bringing this vision to life, working alongside Program Managers Alycia McClurg and Karen Martin with support from EquaSion’s leadership.
“The level of community engagement has been remarkable,” added Karen Martin, Co-Program Manager. “Volunteers from many different communities are united in the belief that understanding one another strengthens us all.”
The festival is free and open to all and visitors can drop in at any time throughout the day, making the festival accessible to those with varying schedules.
New this year: all attendees need to get tickets ahead of time or as they enter the exhibition.
Exhibition
Schedule
This is Normal
by Isabella Daley
Out there, there is hatred.
Out there, there is fear.
There’s mistrust – not understanding.
But there’s peace and love in here.
Out there, people forget
that we should all live as one.
We’re meant to be one family
sharing one earth, one moon, one sun.
In here, this is normal
no hate, no fear abounds.
Instead of cries of anger,
we hear happy, joyful sounds.
In here, we hear “Hello!”
And greetings of “Shalom.”
This simple celebration
assures us; this, this is our home.
And, yes, the world’s a good place.
We can be kind and moral.
As we celebrate together,
We know in here, this is normal.
Written by Isabella Daley after spending the day volunteering at the first
Cincinnati Festival of Faiths on June 24, 2018.