2026 THEYFRIEND Nonbinary Performance Festival
Wednesday, November 11 - Saturday, November 14, 2026
About the Event
The THEYFRIEND Nonbinary Performance Festival is a yearly gathering dedicated to uplifting, centering, and celebrating nonbinary performers and creative expression.
Now in its sixth year, the festival brings together artists and audiences to build community through performance, experimentation, and shared joy. We are currently accepting artist applications for the upcoming festival.
As part of this year’s call, we invite artists working across disciplines (performance, music, movement, comedy, drag, experimental work, and beyond) to share proposals for interactive, embodied, and audience-engaged experiences.
From festival curators Rawiyah Tariq & Vin Seaman:
“[THEYFRIEND] …is a time for us to utilize spectacle, connectivity and radical joy to play, experiment and reclaim parts of ourselves that traditional gender norms have forced us to suppress or eject.”
Accessibility Information:
We are committed to making THEYFRIEND accessible:
All events are hosted at ADA accessible venues, with potential physical barriers called out on each event
All performers are COVID rapid tested the day of evnets
KN95 masking recommended, with masks available at door
ASL provided with advance notice + captioning on all videos
Always all gender restrooms
Quiet sensory space available
If you have any access needs or requests, please email vin@diamond-wave.org and we will do our best to accommodate you!
About THEYFRIEND
THEYFRIEND uplifts, centers, and celebrates nonbinary artists and has grown into a cornerstone gathering for nonbinary creative community in the Bay Area and beyond. Our goals are to:
Present high-quality, interactive artistic experiences that showcase the creativity and diversity of nonbinary performers.
Foster welcoming spaces where nonbinary people and people of all gender expressions can connect, build belonging, and celebrate together.
To learn more about past festivals, programming, and our work, visit THEYFRIEND online.
To Attend
Ticket links for 2026 THEYFRIEND are coming soon!
Want to participate?
Volunteer with us! We need your help to make this year’s THEYFRIEND happen!