MARYSVILLE — The city of Marysville is seeking sponsors, and accepting submissions from vendors and performers, to participate in the first in what they hope will become an annual series of multicultural fairs, celebrating cultural diversity this fall through ethnic foods, music, dance and art.

This free event is set to run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, in Comeford Park, located at 514 Delta Ave. in Marysville. Attendees are invited to enjoy music and dance from around the world on the performance stage in the Rotary Pavilion, all while experiencing traditions from other lands through demonstrations and displays, as well as partaking of a food court where exotic ethnic foods will be available for purchase.

Cultural artwork will also be on display, representing submissions from an all-ages diversity arts contest coordinated by the Marysville Arts Commission and the Mayor’s Diversity Advisory Committee. The deadline for entries has been extended to Thursday, Aug. 27. Log onto http://marysvillewa.gov/diversityarts for further details. The event will also feature a number of cultural resource and craft vendors, with hands-on activities for children.

“Sponsorship features many benefits for your organization or business, and an opportunity to share your commitment to a more diverse, inclusive and welcoming workplace and community,” said Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring, who established the Diversity Advisory Committee in 2010 to advise him and fellow government leaders on issues of diversity and inclusion. “We hope you will become a festival sponsor, supporting diversity and cultural understanding in Marysville, and we look forward to sharing the music, sights and sounds of diversity with you and the community.”

A number of sponsorship opportunities are available, with participation levels ranging from $1,000 and above, to as low as $100.

Through this multicultural fair, the Mayor’s Diversity Advisory Committee is making good on one of the recommended actions in its two-year Diversity Work Plan, by establishing an event that celebrates cultural, physical and mental differences among people, and sends a message that those differences are valued year-round.

Vendor and performance forms are available on the city of Marysville’s website at http://marysvillewa.gov/multiculturalfair. The event is seeking booth vendors, whether you are a craft or food vendor, a social services agency or organization that works to promote diversity internally or generally in your interaction with the public, or an individual or group performer that represents a particular culture with singing, music, dance or all of the above. To learn more, contact Diversity Committee Staff Liaison Doug Buell by phone at 360-363-8086 or via email at dbuell@marysvillewa.gov.