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Festival Update – April 2026
April 23, 2026
Unison Festival Vancouver 2026: Music Healing Spirit
Bringing voices together in pride, community, and connection
The countdown is on, with Unison Festival 2026 coming up soon. Choirs across Canada are putting the finishing touches on their preparations. This month’s newsletter brings you important details and highlights, including concert tickets now available, concert hosts announced, a preview of Sunday’s Banquet & Dance, and special guests for the Closing Concert.
In this issue:
Opening Ceremony: A West Coast Welcome for Registered Delegates
Banquet & Dance Preview: An Evening to Connect and Celebrate
Festival Concert Tickets Now on Sale
Concert tickets for Unison Festival 2026 are now available to the public, and all are welcome.
Registered delegates, you’ll already be part of the festival weekend from May 15 to 18 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Your registration includes access to all concerts, space permitting – your delegate badge is your pass. Now’s a great time to help spread the word and encourage others to attend!
Friends, family, and community members are invited to come and hear choirs from across Canada and experience a full weekend of choral music. Whether folks attend one concert or several, each performance offers a unique mix of voices, styles, and energy.
Tickets are now on sale for the Opening Concert on Friday evening, four concert blocks throughout the weekend, and the Closing Concert on Monday morning. Audience members can choose a single concert, a full day, or a weekend pass.
Most seating is General Admission (GA), with a limited number of Dress Circle “Patron Pass” seats available for the Opening Concert only. These offer exceptional views, are the only reserved-seating option during the festival, and allow patrons to skip the general admission line.
➤ Visit the Festival Concert Tickets page for full details and booking options
If you know someone who would enjoy a concert, please share the information and help us build a welcoming, enthusiastic audience for the weekend!
This Just In! Concert Hosts AnnouncedWe’re delighted to welcome an outstanding group of guest hosts who will help guide each concert and bring their own energy and perspective to the festival stage. With a mix of artists, broadcasters, and familiar faces from across Canadian media and entertainment, this lineup adds another engaging layer to the weekend experience.
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Opening Ceremony: A West Coast Welcome for Registered Delegates
Unison Festival 2026 begins with a meaningful Opening Ceremony that sets the tone for the entire weekend. Rooted in welcome, respect, and celebration, this special one-hour gathering honours the lands and cultures of the Coast Salish peoples while inviting delegates into a shared festival experience grounded in connection and community. It’s a thoughtful and distinctly West Coast opening that reflects both the spirit of the festival and the place where we gather.
This Opening Ceremony has been created especially for registered delegates and is not open to the public. It’s your official welcome to Unison 2026, and an important moment to experience together before the first concert begins.
We will be pleased to welcome representatives from the three local Coast Salish First Nations – Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) – who will offer opening remarks and greetings to delegates. This will be followed by a performance from Nova Wolf, a Two-Spirit Indigenous artist known for their work in music, drumming, carving, and digital art, blending cultural traditions with contemporary expression.
The main portion of the ceremony features Tsatsu Stalqayu (Coastal Wolf Pack), a multigenerational Coast Salish song and dance group. With more than 25 performers ranging in age from infants to Elders, the group shares traditional songs, dances, and stories that reflect their cultural teachings and strong sense of community. Their performance offers a powerful and welcoming connection to the lands on which the festival takes place.
The Opening Ceremony takes place on Friday, May 15 at 5:30 PM at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, followed by the Opening Concert featuring the host choir, the Vancouver Men’s Chorus, and other BC choirs.
Your delegate registration includes access to all theatre events, beginning with this Opening Ceremony. Your badge is your pass.
Make a point to arrive on time, settle in, and be part of this shared beginning. It’s more than a prelude to the concerts: it’s a moment that brings everyone together and sets the stage for the days ahead.
Banquet & Dance Preview: An Evening to Connect and Celebrate
Sunday evening at Unison brings one of the festival’s most anticipated traditions: the Banquet and Dance. It’s a chance to step away from the concert stage, relax with fellow delegates, and enjoy an evening of good food, conversation, and celebration.
The event takes place on Sunday, May 17 at the Westin Bayshore, a beautiful waterfront venue with sweeping views, comfortable spaces, and plenty of room to connect. This evening is included with your delegate registration at no extra cost.
The evening begins with a casual reception in the banquet lobby. A DJ will set the tone with relaxed music, creating a space to mingle before dinner. A cash bar will be available if you’d like to enjoy a pre-dinner drink.
Dinner will follow in the main banquet room, featuring a three-course meal. The default main course will be chicken.
Important – Dietary Restrictions: If you have dietary restrictions, it’s important to complete the short questionnaire in Integra by April 30 so the venue can make appropriate arrangements. You can find this under “Questionnaires” on your Integra dashboard, listed as Festival Banquet – Special dietary requirements. ➤ Login to Integra
The dinner itself is designed to be a welcoming experience with minimal formal programming. It’s a chance to sit back, enjoy your meal, and have some conversation at your table.
After dinner, we shift into celebration mode. A DJ-hosted dance party will carry the evening forward, with music and a lively atmosphere continuing until about 11:00 PM. Whether you’re ready to dance or prefer to enjoy the energy from the sidelines, it’s a fun and inclusive way to wrap up the day.
Please note that attendance is limited to registered delegates, and due to venue capacity, additional banquet tickets are not expected to be available.
All in all, it will be an evening that balances connection and celebration. A relaxed dinner, a chance to reconnect, and a dance floor to close out the night together. Fun!
Closing Concert Special Guest Performers: M’Girl
We’re excited to announce that M’Girl Music will be joining us for the Closing Concert on Monday, May 18 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre – a powerful and memorable way to bring our festival weekend to a close.
M’Girl is a Vancouver-based, all-Indigenous women’s ensemble known for its dynamic blend of music, storytelling, and cultural expression. Since forming in 2007, the group has brought together artists from diverse Indigenous nations across Canada, each contributing their own voice, language, and artistic perspective. Their performances weave together hand drum, layered vocal harmonies, spoken word, and personal storytelling in ways that are both moving and deeply engaging.
The ensemble has earned wide recognition for performances that connect strongly with audiences. Whether on festival stages or in community settings, M’Girl creates an atmosphere that feels welcoming, reflective, and alive with shared experience. Their work explores themes of identity, resilience, connection to land, and lived history, while also making space for humour, celebration, and joy.
M’Girl’s members are multidisciplinary artists working across music, theatre, film, and visual arts, and that collaborative spirit is at the heart of every performance. There is a sense of openness and responsiveness in their work – no two performances feel exactly the same, and audiences are very much part of the experience.
As we gather under the theme Music Healing Spirit, M’Girl’s approach to music as a form of connection, reflection, and community makes them a natural and inspiring fit for Unison 2026. Their presence at the Closing Concert will be a true highlight of the weekend.
➤ Learn more about M'Girl Music
Social Events & Activities: More Fun Stuff
With a full schedule of performances and rehearsals, your time at Unison will be busy – but there are still opportunities to explore Vancouver and connect with others along the way.
We’ve compiled a selection of optional Social Events & Activities during and around the festival weekend, both Unison-specific happenings and others of interest. Including:
Magic Spirit Unison Boat Cruise – an evening Vancouver harbour cruise with time to socialize, connect, and dance
The Really Gay History Walking Tour – a private guided tour through the West End and Davie Village exploring Vancouver’s 2SLGBTQIA+ history
Frontrunners Morning Run – a social run through Stanley Park, open to all levels
Drag Queen Yoga with Eva Lasting – a guided one-hour session where you’ll stretch your vocal cords and more
Fresh Meat at Pumpjack Pub – shower shows, DJs and dancing until late
Board Games Meetup – an evening of board games and socializing, a chance to connect with fellow delegates and local community members
Drama Club: Unison Edition – an interactive, sing-along drag show in Davie Village
Air Guitar Championships – a fun, high-energy night of performance and competition
Karaoke at The Junction – a casual option to sing and unwind with others
Step outside the festival schedule, meet fellow delegates, and experience a bit more of Vancouver during your stay!
➤ View the Social Events & Activities page for details and ticket information.
Unison Voices: Your hosts, the Vancouver Men’s Chorus
As the host chorus for Unison Festival 2026, the Vancouver Men’s Chorus brings both experience and a strong sense of community to this national gathering. Founded in 1981 by gay men and their friends, the chorus is a TTBB ensemble dedicated to advancing quality choral art while championing communities of diverse ages, ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations.
The VMC brings together singers across generations and backgrounds, creating what many describe as a “chosen family” grounded in mutual respect and shared purpose. Alongside its artistic work, the chorus remains active in outreach, volunteer initiatives, and partnerships across Vancouver’s cultural community.
Under the leadership of Artistic Director and Conductor Willi Zwozdesky, the VMC continues to build on a long tradition of choral excellence. Willi’s work as a conductor, arranger, and educator has shaped the sound and direction of the chorus for more than 40 years. He is joined by Assistant Conductor David Buchan and longtime accompanist Stephen Smith.
Recent seasons have featured concerts that blend traditional choral repertoire with contemporary works, pop arrangements, and commissioned pieces. Performances incorporate narrative elements, spoken text, and staging that connect the music to broader themes of identity, history, and community.
Shortly after the Unison festival, the VMC will present Made in Canada from June 4–7 at Performance Works on Granville Island, highlighting Canadian composers and stories. The program reflects the chorus’s ongoing focus on celebrating local voices and exploring connections between music and place.
“Choral singing is about connection as much as it is about sound,” says Willi. “It’s about how people come together, share stories, and create something meaningful as a group. Hosting Unison gives us a chance to extend that experience across the country.”
Len Cousineau, Executive Director of the VMC and Co-Chair of the Unison 2026 Planning Committee, sees the festival as a natural extension of that work. “We’re looking forward to welcoming choirs from across Canada and creating an environment where people feel included, supported, and inspired. That sense of community is what makes this kind of gathering so special.”
The VMC is excited to welcome you to Vancouver for Unison 2026. As your hosts, they look forward to sharing their city, their music, and a weekend of connection that reflects the spirit of singing together in pride and community.
➤ Learn more about the Vancouver Men’s Chorus
More Unison Voices: Out in Harmony (Vancouver)
Out in Harmony brings a distinctly open and participatory approach to choral singing in Vancouver. As a non-auditioned community choir, the ensemble welcomes singers of all experience levels, with no requirement to read music or perform alone. The focus is simple and intentional: create a space where people can show up as they are and take part in making music together.
That openness shapes everything about the choir. Rehearsals are accessible, the atmosphere is informal but focused, and the group actively removes barriers that can sometimes make choral singing feel out of reach. The result is a choir that reflects a wide cross-section of the community, bringing together people with different backgrounds, identities, and levels of musical experience.
Their concerts carry that same spirit forward. Performances are designed to be welcoming rather than formal, often including opportunities for the audience to join in. Alongside a varied repertoire that spans pop, folk, jazz, and light classical music, there is a clear emphasis on connection, both within the choir and with the audience in the room.
Music Director Edette Gagné describes this approach as central to the ensemble’s identity: “We’re building a space where people feel valued, included, and safe to take chances. When that happens, something special follows – singers grow, confidence builds, and the music becomes something we create together.”
Out in Harmony will be sure to bring that inclusive, community-driven energy to the Unison Festival stage. And if you’ll be in Vancouver after the festival, catch their next concert on June 20 at Vancouver Unitarians, 949 West 49th Avenue.
➤ Learn more about Out in Harmony
Heads up: Refresh your Integra app
When using the Integra Planner app on your phone, it’s a good idea to refresh your data to see the latest updates. The app does not automatically update information stored on your device. This means recent schedule changes or purchased activities may not appear until you refresh manually.
To do this: Open the app, tap the menu at the top left, and select Refresh near the top of the list. Voilà.
Cheers!
Thank you for staying connected as we head into the final stretch before Unison Festival 2026. With just weeks to go, choirs across the country are preparing, and the excitement continues to build. Enjoy the longer days of early spring, keep singing, and we look forward to welcoming you to Vancouver very soon.
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