Tomboy Survival Guide to appear at Festival of Verses, Vancouver.

Verses Festival of Words, the largest spoken word festival in Canada, celebrates five years and this year, in particular, is queerer than ever before. The alternative literary festival presents the most convention-defying artists, including burlesque dancers, haiku creators, slam poets and activist storytellers.

Ivan Coyote returns to Verses with the collaborative Tomboy Survival Guide (April 29 at the Rio with special guests Veda Hille and Kinnie Starr), along with many other amazing artists at the festival who identify as LGBTQ.

Jillian Christmas, Verses Festival Artistic Director, says, “Ivan Coyote has been such an incredible contributor to the festival in the past years. Their work is incredibly moving and dynamic, and there’s always a wonderful troupe that comes along with Ivan.

“Their work is ever-changing and provides all of these different ways in which we can connect with stories of identity, stories of transition, stories of family. It’s just beautiful long-form storytelling amplified by the musical textures that are added in. I’ve never sat through an Ivan Coyote show and not cried [laughs], so bring tissues.”

Other artists of LGBTQ interest include host Maggie Harkins, Sheri D. Wilson and Lishai Peel in Take Back the Mic, poet Amber Dawn, and Sister Outsider.