Muriel’s Journey Poetry Prize
Saturday October 31, 2pm – 3:30pm
Listening Post, 328 Main Free
Join us for an open poetry mic and a celebration of this year’s Muriel’s Journey Poetry Prize in memory of Muriel Marjorie, poet, activist, and actor well known in the DTES. This event is held once again at the Listening Post, the DTES’ “oasis” of quietness and reflection. Meet some of the winners and read your own work!
Sandy Cameron Memorial Writing Contest Award Ceremony
Tuesday November 3, 2pm – 3:30pm
Carnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main Free
Sandy Cameron was a writer, poet and an historian emeritus who traced the years of struggle for social and economic justice in the life of the Downtown Eastside. He contributed his thoughts and feelings on subjects as diverse as class and whale watching, and tied everything to our ongoing ideation on social justice. Presented by the Carnegie Newsletter, the contest is to honour Sandy and those who identify with the struggles of the Downtown Eastside, who see and feel passion in living with spiritual, mental, and physical yearnings. A number of the award-winning writers will read work that they submitted to the contest.
Spontaneous Poetry in the DTES
Tuesday November 3, 2pm – 4pm
Corner of Main & Hastings Free
Meet poet, writer, and activist Gilles Cyrenne on Main and Hastings for a cup of hot chocolate and a spontaneous poem. Inspired by Natalie Goldberg’s book Writing Down the Bones, provide a prompt and take home a spontaneous poem created by one of the best poets in our midst. Marshmallows included!
Poetry Cabaret with Ghia Aweida
Tuesday November 3, 8:30pm – 10pm
Carnegie Theatre, 401 Main Free
The Downtown Eastside is alive with writers, poets, and storytellers! The Poetry Cabaret is a monthly open mic night that showcases this vibrant talent, featuring original spoken word, music, and even the occasional joke. DTES writer and activist Ghia Awieda hosts the evening, guiding us through an eclectic mix of performances from familiar faces and surprise first-timers. Whether you’re a writer or an audience member, this is a space to celebrate the creative spirit of the DTES. Drop in and witness the passion and artistry of the neighbourhood!
Writers Reading from Megaphone’s Voices of the Street
Wednesday November 4, 1pm – 2:30pm
First United Dining Hall, 320 E. Hastings Free
The Festival is pleased to present readings from writers whose work appears in How to Be Human, the 2026 Voices of the Street anthology. This compilation by Megaphone Magazine brings together poetry, prose and artwork from 31 contributors reflecting on connection, survival, compassion and what keeps us human in an increasingly inhumane world. Created during a time of global upheaval, How to Be Human is a vibrant celebration of resilience, creativity, and the human spirit. These writers remind us that even in times of uncertainty, we are never truly alone.
Honouring Richard Shorty: Memorial Mural and Reception
Beneath the Red Umbrella Book Launch
Wednesday November 4, 5pm – 7pm
Enabling Arts, #104 – 343 Railway Free.
Register: Beneath_the_Red_Umbrella.eventbrite.ca
Join Genevieve Fuji Johnson and Kerry Porth for the Vancouver launch of Beneath the
Red Umbrella, Sex and Solidarity – Theory, Method, Action, that blends academic research with the intimacy of storytelling in a genre-crossing graphic novel. At the heart of the story are three university students whose evolving friendship unfolds through honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations. Beneath the Red Umbrella makes a case for the decriminalization and destigmatization of sex work and offers a model for how we can have necessary conversations about the demands of justice and human rights. Reading and discussion, with a Q&A. Tees, totes, and other merch available by donation to PACE Society.
DTES Writes!
Thursday November 5, 1pm – 3pm
Carnegie Gallery, 3rd Floor, 401 Main Free
For this year’s Heart of the City Festival, the DTES Writers’ Collective will focus on writing and sharing about the Festival’s theme “Belonging”, which celebrates the experience of being seen, heard, respected, and valued for who we are. The DTES Writer’s Collective is a safe, supportive space to explore your creative spirit. Whether you are new to the craft or a published writer, here you belong.
DTES Art and Archives: An Afternoon with the Bud Osborn Poetry Library
Saturday November 7, 12pm – 2pm
Carnegie 3rd floor Classroom, 401 Main Free
Join us for an afternoon of exploration and inspiration with Carnegie Library’s special collections. Share stories about poet Bud Osborn while getting to know the poetry books from his personal collection, and explore an archive of academic and creative works about the Downtown Eastside stored in the DTES Special Collection. For more information about these collections and a full index of books, ask staff at the VPL Carnegie Branch.