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One country, many vibes through festival diversity
Victoria, BC What does it mean to leverage entertainment as a vehicle to promote diversity and build unity? This past fall, I was in Victoria for the BC Music Festival Collective’s annual gathering, where I met Pulchérie Mboussi and Ezeadi Onukwulu, two of the leaders in this area.
“I have kids, and grandkids and I don't want them to be in my past position,” Mboussi explains. “People looking at you like a stranger. My kids were born here, yes they have a different culture at home, but they are Canadians too.”
“If you don't step up to celebrate our culture, how will they ever learn?” she says, explaining why she does what she does.
Ezeadi Onukwulu and Pulchérie Mboussi, respectively, attending the BC Music Festival Collective's annual gathering.
Mboussi and Onukwulu are leading purveyors of African cultural events in Western Canada, producing Victoria’s and the Lower Mainland’s biggest Afro-Caribbean festivals, respectively.
Ever since Pulchérie Nketsap Mboussi arrived in Canada from Cameroon about three decades ago, she has been working to bring the cultures, history, and traditions of the African continent to her new home.
Mboussi created the African Arts and Cultural Society in 2012 and went on to launch the ISSAMBA Centre, being a group of world-renowned African musicians and dancers that takes its name from the Cameroonian Beti dialect meaning “come together."
Music and celebration provide a way for people to "come together" to grow community.
“2025 was our best year yet! Our attendance doubled to 6,500 people over the five days.” African artists, performers and vendors hit Victoria every June for AfriCa Fest.
For Vancouver’s AhfoMad Festival producer Ezeadi Onukwulu, after getting shut out of an accounting career based on his company's racial discrimination, he decided to go another route, launching one of North America’s sole radio shows programming African music.
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“The discrimination I experienced there led me to realize I couldn’t fight the system to get back into my desired career, and decided to be self-employed and leverage my work to recognize our community and recognize what we are capable of.”
“We started a conversation of giving it all a name, World Music category. Instead of just saying African Music.”
CITR, UBC’s radio station, syndicated the show across North America at other University stations and with that momentum Onukwulu started producing live music events, records and now festivals.
“I went on to record award-winning albums, while developing the market for African artists and then moving on to selling out venues like the Commodore.”
For both Mboussi and Onukwulu, celebrating their heritage has led to greater visibility for their cultures in Canada, and plays a key role in preserving and sharing important cultural traditions and history.
More than just entertainment, it’s about nurturing and growing community, and passing on cultural experiences from one generation to the next.
Be a culture builder
Attend one of these great festivals to celebrate and support cultural diversity. Or take it a step further, and volunteer to help make them happen!
AhfoMad, Vancouver, BC
Volunteer or attend and support this awesome festival!
AfriCaFest, Victoria, BC
Jun 4-7, 2026
Lhtako Dene Pow Wow, Quesnel BC
July 31 - Aug 2, 2026
This event is home to one of the largest cash prize pool, attracting some of Turtle Island’s best dancers, drumming up a vibe all its own.
CariWest, Edmonton, AB
Aug 7-9, 2026
Look into it, you can join the parade, dress up and score up some of that soca/reggae dance vibes.
2Rivers Remix, various locations, BC
multiple dates through summer 2026
I caught an edition of this at Secret Beach Campground & Kayak Launch - Toquaht Nation, 30 mins from downtown Ucluelet in 2023 and it was a very memorable time. Incredible costumes, really lively vibes in a skookum location.
Africfest, Calgary, AB
Sept 6-7, 2026
AfriCarnival YYC, Calgary, AB
When you go
Don't just attend as a festival goer, have you ever thought of volunteering? Getting behind the scenes gives you an opporutnity to gain new perspectives and make new friends.
If you have a business why not consider sponsoring one of the events above? This is an easy way to show your commitment to celebrating diversity.
Through 2026 please be sure & tag us @festivalseekers and/or include the hashtag #festivalseekers, so we may be able to showcase your diverse discoveries.