Unison Choruses Canada is a national not-for-profit organization serving as a hub for Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ choruses, fostering connections and providing essential resources for administration, fundraising, and programming. Your donation helps us support these vibrant communities and ensure their voices continue to be heard.
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Festival Update – July/August 2025
July 23, 2025
Unison Festival Vancouver 2026: Music Healing Spirit
Bringing Canada’s queer choirs together in song and celebration
We’re into summer and moving steadily forward. This month we’re looking for new team members, sharing tips and info for festival attendees, and featuring one of our co-host choirs. Read on for the latest highlights:
We’re Hiring: New Positions Posted!
The Festival Planning Committee is excited to announce that we’re seeking candidates for three new part-time contract positions:
Choral Events Coordinator – Supports rehearsal scheduling, concert planning, and on-site logistics for our performances
Volunteer Coordinator – Recruits, trains, and supports the volunteers who keep everything running smoothly
Accessibility Coordinator – Works with our team and community partners to ensure the festival is welcoming and inclusive for all
These paid positions run through June 2026. Schedules are flexible, with hours increasing closer to the festival. Please share with anyone you think might be interested!
More info and how to apply: Festival Positions
Unison 101: What to Expect in Vancouver
Whether this is your first Unison Festival or you’re a seasoned festival veteran, it’s going to be an unforgettable weekend of music, connection, and community in the heart of downtown Vancouver. Here’s an overview of how things will roll out and what to expect at Unison 2026:
Dates & Location | Theme | Host Choruses | Festival Venue | Accommodation Options | Opening Concert | Concert Blocks | Festival Choruses | Social Events | Closing Banquet & Dance| Finale Concert | Who’s Coming?
Dates & Location
The Unison Festival will take place Friday, May 15 to Monday, May 18, 2026 in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. We’re excited to bring the festival back to Vancouver for the first time in 20 years!
Explore the city, activities, and attractions: Destination Vancouver
Theme
The 2026 festival theme is Music Healing Spirit – a reflection of the emotions, connection, and transformation that music can inspire. Choirs are encouraged to select repertoire that responds to the theme – whether through joy, community, resilience, or spiritual reflection. Each choir is invited to interpret and express the theme in their own meaningful way.
More about the theme: Music Healing Spirit
Host Choruses
This festival is proudly hosted by the Vancouver Men’s Chorus, with co-hosts Out in Harmony and the Rainbow Chorus of New Westminster. The three groups will be working together to help create a warm, vibrant, and welcoming experience for delegates and audiences alike.
Festival Venue
All concerts, rehearsals, and many other festival happenings will take place at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, a landmark civic venue located at 630 Hamilton Street in downtown Vancouver. Opened in 1959, the Queen E is one of the city’s largest and most iconic performance spaces, with seating for more than 2,700 people across multiple levels – including about 1,000 seats in the lower orchestra bowl which we’ll use most. Home to Ballet BC and the Vancouver Opera, it has also welcomed Broadway productions, global music acts, and cultural showcases of all kinds – making it a fitting stage for the voices of Unison 2026.
More about the venue: Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Accommodation Options
A list of hotel options is currently being finalized, and more details will be provided later in the year. Delegate registration includes a short questionnaire to help us understand your accommodation needs. Some budget and billet options may also be available.
More info: Preliminary Information on Vancouver Accommodations
Opening Concert
The festival weekend will kick off on Friday, May 15 with an evening Opening Concert featuring the host choruses and special guests, followed by a casual welcome reception for all registered delegates.
Concert Blocks
Each registered choir will perform during one of four concert “blocks” throughout the weekend. Each block will be 3-4 hours with a 20-minute intermission, and will feature multiple choirs. While the final schedule is still in development, performance slots will be spread across Saturday and Sunday, with time for social events, rehearsals, and audience engagement before and after the blocks. All concerts will take place on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre stage.
Festival Choruses
This year’s Festival Choruses include SATB, SSAA, TTBB, and – for the first time ever – a 2-Spirit, Trans, and Non-Binary (2STNB) ensemble. All are open to registered delegates who sign up in advance. Music will be distributed ahead of time, and rehearsals will take place throughout the weekend, leading up to massed performances.
More info: Festival Choruses: Sing in One of Our Massed Ensembles
Social Events
There will be a mix of informal and structured social activities throughout the weekend, including choir-hosted meetups, evening events, and possible outings around the city. We’re currently exploring options that highlight Vancouver’s arts, food, and queer communities – with something for everyone. Ideas currently being explored include a harbour cruise, a history walk, dance parties, and after-hours socials hosted by Vancouver choirs and community partners.
Closing Banquet & Dance
Our banquet will take place on Sunday, May 17 at the Westin Bayshore – a waterfront venue with views, space to connect, and plenty of room to celebrate. A dance party will follow, with music and vibes to carry us into the night. The closing night banquet is included with your festival registration, at no extra cost.
Finale Concert
The festival will wrap up with a Closing Concert on the morning of Monday, May 18 – a chance to reflect, sing together, and celebrate before heading home. The Host City for the 2030 Unison Festival will also be announced at this event!
Who’s Coming?
As of this update, 28 Unison member choirs have registered to participate, and we expect 800 to 1,000 delegates to attend from all across Canada.
Early-bird delegate registration is open now! Register before January 15, 2026 to save on fees, receive travel tips and updates, and help organizers plan for the best possible experience.
Register today: https://www.unisonchoruses.ca/festival/register
Festival Choruses: Sing in One of Our Massed Ensembles
Unison’s Festival Choruses are a highlight of every festival – massed choir performances open to all registered delegates who want to make music together. No matter what part you sing or how you identify, there’s a place for you.
The four conductors who will be leading these exciting ensembles in Vancouver 2026 are as follows:
Chelsi Madonna (Halifax, NS) will lead the SATB Festival Chorus, bringing her passion for inclusive, joy-filled choral spaces and a rich background in queer choir leadership.
Crystal Bergman (Coquitlam, BC) will conduct the SSAA Festival Chorus, drawing on decades of experience in feminist and queer choral communities, and a strong commitment to musical inclusivity.
Jean-Louis Bleau (Chilliwack, BC) takes the helm of the TTBB Festival Chorus, offering his signature creativity and collaborative spirit as an acclaimed arts leader and conductor.
Jackie Falconer (Toronto, ON) will lead our first-ever 2STNB Festival Ensemble – a national chorus uplifting trans and non-binary voices with affirmation, artistry, and joy.
Participation is open to all registered delegates, but space in each Festival Chorus is limited – and it’s first come, first served. To secure your spot, you can now purchase your Festival Chorus registration; the participation fee is $50 for TTBB, SATB, and SSAA choruses, and $10 for the 2STNB Ensemble. These fees help cover the cost of music for all singers.
Music will be provided in advance, and rehearsal schedules will be shared closer to the event.
Signing up is easy! You can select a Festival Chorus when you register as a delegate or add it later. It’s a great way to meet fellow singers from across Canada and make music together.
Festival Chorus Sign-up in Integra Once you’ve registered as a Unison delegate, to sign up for a Festival Chorus:
1. Log in to the ‘Unison Integra system’ at https://unison.integraplanner.net 2. On your ‘Personal dashboard’, click ‘Quick links’ near the top, and choose ‘Online store’ 3. Click the ‘+’ sign to expand the section ‘Festival Choruses & Ensemble’ 4. Click the radio button to the right of the Chorus or Ensemble of your choice 5. At the bottom of the page, click ‘Confirm’ to continue with payment.
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Learn more: Announcing Festival Chorus Conductors
Unison Voices: Rainbow Chorus of New Westminster
In each update, we’re spotlighting one of Unison’s member choirs. This month, meet the Rainbow Chorus of New Westminster, one of the local choruses attending Unison 2026!
The Rainbow Chorus of New Westminster is a welcoming, non-auditioned LGBTQIA2S+ and allies community choir, a proud and visible part of the Lower Mainland’s choral community. Known for their inclusive spirit, joyful concerts, and warm harmonies, they’ve performed everything from beloved show tunes to inspiring ensemble works. Their motto, “Blending Voices, Changing Hearts,” captures the impact that singing together can make.
More about them: https://rainbowchorusnewwestminster.com
Local Love: Fun Facts About Vancouver
Vancouver is full of fascinating stories – some queer, some quirky, and all part of what makes this city special. Here are some fun facts to keep in your pocket:
The first Pride parade in Vancouver was a protest. In 1978, a group of brave activists marched through the West End to demand equal rights, laying the groundwork for what would become one of Canada’s largest Pride festivals.
A rainbow crosswalk scandal sparked a citywide trend. When a rainbow crosswalk at Bute and Davie was defaced in 2016, Vancouverites responded with public support and new rainbow crosswalks popped up in neighbourhoods from Commercial Drive to UBC.
Granville Island is built on top of an industrial sandbar. Once a muddy tidal flat used by sawmills and factories, it was transformed in the 1970s into a creative hub and now hosts theatres, artists, and a famous public market.
Yes, that cannon really fires! Every evening at exactly 9:00 p.m., the Stanley Park Nine O’Clock Gun lets out a booming blast, a Vancouver tradition dating back to 1894. Originally used to help ships set their clocks, the cannon still fires nightly, except during the occasional maintenance break or black powder shortage.
Steveston was once the salmon capital of the world. Located just south of Vancouver in Richmond, Steveston was home to dozens of canneries and a large Japanese Canadian fishing community. Today you can still tour the historic (and fascinating) Gulf of Georgia Cannery and stroll the working docks.
Be sure to bookmark Destination Vancouver for more info and activities for your visit!
Cheers!
Thank you for reading this month’s Festival Planning Update. We’ll be back with more news as things continue to take shape – and we hope you’re starting to look forward to it.
Spread the Word
Know someone who would like to get these updates? Please share this newsletter with your fellow singers, music lovers, and festival fans – and encourage them to sign up here: https://www.unisonchoruses.ca/newsletters
Tell Us What You’d Like to Hear
Do you have an idea for something we should feature in an upcoming issue? It’s early days, but is there something you’d like to know more about? We’d be happy to hear from you – drop us a note at: communications@unisonchoruses.ca
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