Celebrate togetherness with the first Equinox TogetherFest, as it hosts community members who will share their different cultures.

Organizer Leila Neverland comes from a multicultural background.

Her father is Persian and her mother immigrated to Canada.

She feels like she can sympathize with the First Nations community, saying even though she has blue eyes, while growing up in Canada she felt like she was an outsider.

鈥淎s with my own past, I want to teach my children about diversity,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to bring together different people to work towards peace.鈥�

Her children鈥檚 great grandmother is Cree.

The festival will open with a Syilx prayer and welcoming to the territories and will feature Aboriginal workshops and performances along with other community acts.

The day events run from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m and will include yoga and reiki workshops, kids鈥� workshops on art and dance, and local kids鈥� performers. Evening events are 19+, starting at 7 p.m and will include local acts and poetry.

The festival takes place at The Forum, 1317 Ethel St. on March 18.

Neverland said there is a limit of 200 tickets. Day passes are $10, night passes are $15 and a TogetherPass is $20. To get involved or to purchase tickets call Neverland at 250-763-0440 or email leilasings@gmail.com. For more festival details visit or search the Equinox TogetherFest on Facebook.

Neverland hopes to continue the event, holding it bi-annually in the fall and spring.