Photo: RespectFEST 2017

Art About Town and art projects are part of RespectFEST 2017.

There are some free tickets and free transit for people who want to check out RespectFEST 2017, a multicultural festival taking place in Vernon Sept. 18-24. There are plenty of events scheduled during the week-long event.

Beginning Friday, Aug. 25, free tickets to all events will be available through the online service, Eventbrite. With just a month to go, the public is encouraged to check out the calendar of activities available on the RespectFEST website.

The festival is funded in part by the federal government and marks Canada 150th birthday while celebrating respect and diversity in the North Okanagan.

Events includes Art About Town, Mural and History Respect tours, Peek behind the Curtains of the Performing Arts Centre, RaptorFest at Allan Brooks Nature Centre, Kikinee Festival, The Caetani Chronicles, Pollinators of the Okanagan, outdoor art shows, Family GypsyFest, community appreciation pancake breakfast, and more. Organizers advise that tickets will be required for some of the tours and events due to limited space.

The busiest day of the festival will be the multicultural celebration in Civic Plaza, by city hall, on Saturday, Sept. 23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. There will be two stages for dancing and music as well as food and free activities for all ages.

The City of Vernon will provide free transit for festival goers on Sept. 23, to improve accessibility to and from the event and manage traffic and parking demands in the downtown core.