Canada’s Largest Spoken Word Festival in Vancouver
Vancouver Poetry House presents the 15th annual Verses Festival of Words, and this year’s theme is Amplify. The festival will focus on uplifting artists with a long history of community building and raising awareness of social issues, such as featured poet of honour Beau Sia, Order of Canada Poet Sheri-D Wilson, and more.
This year’s program includes collaborative showcases, workshops, and the annual flagship event Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (CIPS), alongside closed programs for youth and festival artists.
Vancouver’s Verses Festival of Words is Canada’s Largest Spoken Word Festival
- Dates: April 10–20, 2025
- Location: Chill X Studio (2270 Manitoba St, Vancouver)
- Tickets: On sale now from $10m passes from $50
This year’s edition will be headlined by the world-renowned poet Beau Sia, who will perform a feature set after the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam finals on April 19. The son of Chinese immigrants from the Philippines, Sia was raised in Oklahoma City and moved to New York to attend the Tisch School of the Arts — his work has often challenged Asian American stereotypes. He was featured in the influential documentary SlamNation (1998), was an original cast member of the Tony Award-winning Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, and was featured in all six seasons of HBO’s acclaimed spoken word series Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry. The two-time National Poetry Slam champion and the author of Well Played (2020) is currently based in LA.
“The world feels like it’s on fire — there is so much noise that fills the airwaves with lies and misinformation — and spoken word is a salve, as a practice of truth to power,” says Johnny Trinh, artistic director of Vancouver Poetry House. “Verses Festival of Words provides an opportunity to hold communion with our communities and do what our practice does best: amplify the voices that most need to be heard. This year’s program is all about creating space for folks to gather and listen.”
Verses Festival of Words Event Schedule
View the full schedule online, including:
Spoken Word Jamboree April 10 @ 6:30pm
Gathered Hullabaloo teams introduce themselves with zany, hilarious and/or awkward 1-minute poems, then enjoy a showcase from festival alumni.
Oral Traditions April 14 @ 8:00pm
An evening that amplifies diverse voices with a focus on oral traditions. This year, led by Sonya Litteljohn, Oral Traditions will be a collaborative showcase with partners: Native Hip Hop Society, WordSmith, and Soul Stories. This event will celebrate Indigenous, Black, Poets of Colour from across the region.
Write Bloody North Presents: The Launch of The ONEIRONAUT ∅2 April 15 @ 8:00pm
Come celebrate as we launch the second volume in a three-book, one-story fantasy trilogy written in the beguiling words of poet Sheri-D Wilson — who will be joined by legendary poets: C.R. Avery, Billeh Nickerson, and Anjalica Solomon.
Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Preliminaries Round 1 April 16 @ 7:30pm
Also streamed online. The first round of competition begins as 24 of the best poets across Canada begin the tournament that will determine the 2025 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion.
Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Preliminaries Round 2 April 17 @ 7:30pm
Also streamed online. The second round of CIPS narrows down the competition to determine the 2025 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Champion.
Stage to Page – WORKSHOP April 18 @ 1:00pm
Stage to Page returns for a public workshop where poets will explore ways to collaborate with music and other disciplines. Industry experts from across artistic disciplines and sectors offer tips and feedback to poets on their works, culminating in a musical jam session.
Poetry Jam April 18 @ 4:00pm
An open-mic jam where attendees can sign up when they arrive to share poems. Always a fun event that offers opportunities for folks passionate about poetry to share work in a supportive environment.
Mashed Poetics: “Fully, Completely” by The Tragically Hip April 18 @ 9:00pm
A longtime friend of Verses Festival, Mashed Poetics returns with a showcase that brings music and poetry together. Poets are invited to create work inspired by a song, artist, or album. Then in true concert style, Mashed Poetics performs covers of the songs, sharing the stage with the poets who have shared their creations. This year, Mashed Poetics celebrates The Tragically Hip.
Masterclass with Beau Sia – WORKSHOP April 19 @ 3:00pm
Poet of honour and legendary spoken word poet Beau Sia returns to the Verses Festival of Words to offer a masterclass that offers coaching, tips, and feedback to poets interested in performance and writing compelling work.
Canadian Individual Poetry Slam FINALS featuring Beau Sia April 19 @ 8:00pm
After an intense preliminary competition, top poets compete to crown the 2025 CIPS champion in this ultimate flagship event. The finals also offers the incredible opportunity to see Beau Sia, this year’s poet of honour, who will perform a feature set.
Follow the Verses Festival of Words on Facebook for more information.
