Beyond Belief
Cincinnati Festival of Faiths
Sunday, Aug. 2, 1–5 p.m.
Cintas Center, Xavier University
1624 Musketeer Drive
The festival is FREE and open to all. Tickets are required this year and available online at no cost to expedite entry and minimize wait times at the door.
The ninth annual Cincinnati Festival of Faiths, sponsored by EquaSion, reimagines the interfaith celebration, with interactive experiences that explore more than 30 faith traditions.
“The Festival of Faiths creates a rare opportunity to move beyond assumptions and meet one another as neighbors,” says Deidre Hazelbaker, executive director at EquaSion. “In a time when division often gets the most attention, this festival celebrates the relationships, curiosity and shared humanity that bring communities together.”
The festival will be transformed into an immersive, indoor-outdoor market-style village. This year’s innovative experience invites guests of all ages to explore, taste, learn, and connect across more than 30 faith traditions through music, art, food, and interactive activities.
The new format marks a significant evolution for the festival, moving beyond traditional presentations to create an engaging, sensory experience where visitors become active participants in discovering Cincinnati's extraordinary religious and cultural diversity.
A major innovation of this year’s festival is an interactive “passport journey,” where attendees collect meaningful items and experiences from various stations representing different faith traditions.
“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.”
Throughout the day, visitors will encounter live music, calls to prayer from multiple traditions, and opportunities to witness sacred practice, all designed to deepen understanding and foster genuine connection.
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.
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. Adults can take part in a Sacred Listening Workshop.
“The level of community engagement has been remarkable,” says Martin, co-program manager and member of Bellarmine Chapel. “Volunteers from many different communities are united in the belief that understanding one another strengthens us all.”
More than fifty volunteers representing ten faith traditions are bringing this vision to life, working alongside McClurg and Martin with support from EquaSion’s leadership.
Founded in 2017 with roots dating to 1944, EquaSion is a nonpartisan civic organization working to build a community of faith and friendships across Greater Cincinnati.
By bringing people together through dialogue, shared experiences, and ongoing relationships, EquaSion fosters pluralism, unity, and a sense of belonging across faith traditions.