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.
Festival Update – February 2026
February 25, 2026
Unison Festival Vancouver 2026: Music Healing Spirit
Bringing voices together in pride, community, and connection
As daylight begins to stretch a little longer, planning for Unison Festival 2026 continues to pick up speed. Registration is ongoing, festival choruses are growing quickly, and additional details are rolling out. In this month’s newsletter, you’ll find some practical information about accommodations and volunteering, an update from the festival artistic directors, and our featured choir from Winnipeg – to keep the excitement building as we look ahead to Unison 2026, less than three months away!
In this issue:
Pacific Spirit UBC Hostel Now Open for Reservations
Reservations are now open at Pacific Spirit Hostel, a budget-friendly accommodation option on the beautiful campus of the University of British Columbia.
Located a short walk from the beach and surrounded by forested trails, the hostel offers simple, comfortable rooms starting at $85 per night. It’s about 40 minutes by public transit from the festival venues in downtown Vancouver, or about 20 minutes by car.
This is a practical option for delegates looking for affordable rates and a quieter campus setting, while still staying connected to the city.
➤ Book now: pacificspirithostel.com
➤ Read up: Reviews on Tripadvisor
Local Love: Fun Things Around and Near UBC
Delegates staying at or near UBC will be surrounded by forest, ocean, and some of Vancouver’s most interesting cultural spaces. Even if you’re based downtown, UBC makes an easy half-day or full-day outing by bus. Here are a few places to explore during your visit.
Nitobe Memorial Garden: A traditional Japanese stroll garden tucked into campus. Winding paths, a quiet pond, and carefully composed plantings make this one of Vancouver’s most peaceful spots. Late spring is especially beautiful. ➤ https://botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/visit/nitobe-memorial-garden/
Museum of Anthropology at UBC: Internationally recognized for its collections of Indigenous art and cultural objects, particularly from the Pacific Northwest Coast. The soaring Great Hall and monumental carvings offer a powerful introduction to the region’s history and living cultures. ➤ https://moa.ubc.ca/
Beaty Biodiversity Museum: Home to Canada’s largest blue whale skeleton, suspended dramatically in the atrium. Exhibits explore evolution, ecosystems, and the diversity of life in accessible, hands-on ways. It’s compact enough for a shorter visit and easy to pair with other campus stops. ➤ https://beatymuseum.ubc.ca/
Pacific Museum of Earth: Located in UBC’s Earth Sciences building, this free public museum focuses on geology, fossils, minerals, and the story of our planet. You’ll find everything from dinosaur replicas to glowing mineral displays. It’s a smaller museum, but a fascinating stop if you enjoy natural history. ➤ https://pme.ubc.ca/
Pacific Spirit Regional Park: Bordering the campus, this network of forested trails stretches for kilometres through coastal rainforest. It feels far away from the city, yet it’s steps from residence buildings. Ideal for a morning walk or a quiet reset before heading downtown.
➤ https://metrovancouver.org/services/regional-parks/park/pacific-spirit-regional-park
Wreck Beach: At the western edge of campus, this well-known clothing-optional beach offers sweeping views across the Strait of Georgia. The staircase down is steep, but the West Coast scenery is classic. Sunset here can be spectacular.
Spanish Banks Beach: Just east of campus, Spanish Banks is known for its wide sandy stretches and dramatic low tides. On a clear day, you’ll see the North Shore mountains across the water. It’s an easy bus ride or scenic bike trip from UBC.
Billeting at Unison 2026
Billeting is a free accommodation option that connects visiting delegates with local hosts in Vancouver and surrounding areas who are willing to offer space in their homes during the festival weekend.
We’re pleased to share that the first host listings were made available on Thursday, February 19. Additional listings are being added over time, as more hosts choose to participate. ➤ unisonchoruses.ca/billeting
How billeting works
Billeting is designed to be straightforward and self-directed:
Local hosts post listings describing the space they can offer
Registered delegates apply directly to listings they’re interested in
Hosts choose who they would like to welcome
Hosts and guests connect directly to confirm details and arrangements
Billeting is a community-driven arrangement. While Unison provides the platform, guidelines, and important information including a use agreement, hosts and guests connect directly and are responsible for confirming expectations, house rules, arrival times, and other practical details. Clear communication on both sides helps ensure a positive experience for everyone.
We encourage delegates to check listings occasionally – new spaces will be added as additional hosts come forward. We look forward to welcoming more members of our local community in the weeks and months ahead.
Interested in hosting?
If you live in Vancouver or the surrounding area and have a guest room, sofa bed, or other suitable space, please consider being a billeting host. Hosting is one way to support the festival and help welcome singers from across Canada. Learn more about the program and create your host listing at: unisonchoruses.ca/billeting
Behind the Music: Update from the Festival Co-Artistic Directors
Planning for Unison Festival 2026 is steaming ahead, and Artistic Directors Willi Zwozdesky and Kim Vance-Mubanga are feeling the momentum.
“The excitement is palpable,” says Kim. “It is going to be epic.”
One of the biggest stories so far is the response to the Festival Choruses and the new 2-Spirit, Trans, and Non-Binary (2STNB) ensemble. Registration has surpassed expectations, with more than 300 delegates already signed up to sing on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre stage during the Closing Concert on Monday, May 18. If you’ve been thinking about joining, there’s still time.
➤ Sign up for a Festival Chorus: unisonchoruses.ca/festival/choruses
Choirs across the country are leaning into this year’s theme, Music Healing Spirit. The theme invites all singing ensembles to reflect on how music can restore, connect, and uplift – individually and collectively. Some choirs are programming pieces that speak to resilience and hope. Others are exploring repertoire rooted in cultural traditions, storytelling, or community-building. However the theme is interpreted, the goal is the same: to share music that carries meaning and spirit.
With 27 choirs and more than 1,000 delegates expected in Vancouver, the scale of the weekend is inspiring – and complex. Even with a four-day festival, timing will be tight. Choir leaders are asked to plan carefully and include walk-on and walk-off time within their 15- or 30-minute performance slots.
“We don’t want to have to turn off the lights if a group goes overtime,” Willi notes, only half-jokingly. The message is clear: Careful planning now will ensure a smooth experience for everyone in May.
Willi and Kim are looking forward to reviewing repertoire from across the country in the weeks ahead. With less than three months to go, anticipation is building. Unison 2026 is almost here – and the artistic team cannot wait to welcome you to the stage.
Unison Voices: Winnipeg’s Rainbow Harmony Project
Rainbow Harmony Project is Winnipeg’s 2SLGBTQIA+ choral community. For more than two decades, the organization has created space for community members and allies to make music together, build meaningful connections, and inspire social change. Its vision is simple and powerful: a society where everyone can live as their authentic selves.
Founded in 1999, Rainbow Harmony Project has become part of Manitoba’s choral landscape. From early performances at Pride and World AIDS Day events to collaborative concerts, the choir has consistently combined strong musicianship with community engagement.
Today, its non-auditioned choirs are known for creative programming and an inclusive approach that reduces barriers to participation. Performances span a range of repertoire with the goal of offering a positive and affirming image of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Multiple concerts each season, along with outreach appearances, allow RHP to reach audiences in Winnipeg and beyond.
This season also features the RHP Youth Choir, an ensemble for queer, questioning, and allied youth in Grades 7–12. With membership fees currently waived thanks to generous funders, the program creates an accessible space for young singers to connect, build confidence, and explore what it means to raise their voices for inclusion. Youth members will also be part of the journey to Unison 2026, adding an intergenerational dimension to Winnipeg’s delegation.
“Rainbow Harmony Project is about more than singing. It’s about creating space where people feel safe, seen, and supported,” says Executive and Artistic Director Brittany Mielnichuk. “When we gather at Unison, we’re reminded that our local stories are part of something much bigger – and that shared energy is powerful.”
As RHP members prepare to travel west for Unison 2026, they look forward to connecting with fellow singers from coast to coast. Their presence will bring unique voices to Vancouver and contribute to a national celebration rooted in pride and community.
➤ Learn more: rainbowharmonyproject.ca
➤ Would your chorus like to be featured? Let us know!
Still a Few Spots Left for Key of T
Registered delegates can still reserve a spot for Key of T at Unison 2026. This powerful, co-created music and theatre experience features genderqueer singer Ari Agha, pianist Mackenzie Lyn Marr, and the voices of the audience. The performance explores Ari’s journey of singing voice transition and invites all of us to reflect on voice, identity, and expression.
This free, interactive presentation offers an intimate and moving addition to the festival weekend. Showtime is Saturday, May 16 at 6:00 PM.
➤ Learn more about Key of T
➤ To reserve: Login to Integra Planner (Quick links > Online store > Donations)
Volunteering: Join Our Team
Every great festival runs on more than talent alone. It runs on people. Volunteers play a vital role in shaping the welcoming, organized, and community-focused spirit that defines Unison Festival 2026.
Planning is well underway, and our Volunteer Coordinator, Joseph Hoang, is currently finalizing a volunteer management system that will allow people to sign up for specific roles and time slots. Once the system is ready, those who have already shared their contact information will be the first to receive an invitation to register.
Volunteer roles span the full festival experience, and include:
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Some volunteers greet and guide delegates and audience members. Others support concert logistics at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, assist with festival choruses and rehearsals, help at special events such as the banquet and dance, or provide behind-the-scenes coordination that keeps everything running smoothly. Whether you enjoy welcoming guests, solving practical challenges, or supporting artistic programming, there is a role to match a wide range of skills and interests.
Detailed descriptions of each volunteer opportunity are now available: unisonchoruses.ca/volunteer
We encourage you to explore the roles and share this information with friends, colleagues, and community members who may be interested. With over 1,000 delegates expected in Vancouver in May, we’ll need many helping hands to create a smooth and memorable festival experience for everyone.
Cheers!
Thank you for staying connected as plans for Unison Festival 2026 continue to move forward. With February nearing a close, choirs across Canada are deep into rehearsals and travel planning. We’ll keep sharing information, helpful reminders, and behind-the-scenes updates as festival time draws closer. Until then, keep singing and watch for more news soon.
Share Your Ideas: Have a suggestion for a future update, or a question about the festival or host city? We’re always glad to hear from you. You can reach us anytime at communications@unisonchoruses.ca
Register Today: If you haven’t registered yet, now’s a great time. Regular registration for delegates is available, until the price goes up on May 1. ➤ Delegate info & registration
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