Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours stages walking tours and special events that celebrate Vancouver history, telling stories that don’t make it onto the tour buses. Tales of crime, corruption, and sin. As notorious former mayor L.D. Taylor once said…”We’re a port city. This ain’t no Sunday School town!”

The company started as a daydream. In 2011, Founder, Will Woods, had been working a corporate job downtown, dreaming of ways to combine his twin passions of history and theatre into a viable business. Inspired by two other companies: Underground Seattle and the Edinburgh Ghost Tours – he decided Vancouver needed something similar. He then enrolled in acting school, immersed himself at the Vancouver Archives, and set about building a walking tour company. Then, in February 2012, he led his first tour for a group of whiskey enthusiasts.

Fast-forward to today and Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours has a team of eighteen guides, who together have run well over a thousand walking tours, held special events in some of the city’s most famous venues like the Penthouse and the Commodore Ballroom, staged a sold-out Christmas play, and launched a sister company Vancouver Mysteries – now owned and operated by former Forbidden Vancouver storyteller Tanya Bennett.

The Really Gay History Tour

The Really Gay History Tour is a historical walking tour based in the Davie Village. Vancouver’s LGBTQ2+ history has always been a “dark & dirty” secret, buried and actively repressed by those who wish to see our queer pioneers erased. Now, it’s time for Vancouver’s secrets to come out of the closet, with tour creator and storyteller, Glenn Tkach, who bridges the gap between queer Vancouver’s past and present. Younger generations are aware of the struggle their predecessors faced, but may not know the specifics or how it affects their lives today. Glenn proudly acts as a conduit through which real understanding and compassion are built for Vancouver’s heroes who fought for gay rights and visibility.

Attendees can expect to hear stories of local queer figures, their struggles, and how their actions paved the way for today’s LGBTQ2+ youth. From drag kings and two spirit warriors, to queer church ministers and transgender crime fighters, this walking tour is a celebration of the unsung heroes who forever changed the social fabric of our city. Expect some belly laughs, surprise, intrigue, and heartfelt stories of bravery.

When asked what his most memorable experience on a tour was, Glenn replied, “I’ll never forget the time a young woman burst into tears and fell into my arms crying – so moved to hear a history she’d never heard before, and about the sacrifices made by those who came before.”

On This Walking Tour You’ll Discover…

A historic gay village

The gayest beer parlour in town

Drag queens who made a difference

How a gay church clergy made history

The site of an infamous bookstore bombing

The bravest pioneers of the LGBTQ2+ community

How a community defied police brutality….and won

Seriously funny gay humour – and its political bent

And more!

EVERY SUN 10 AM + EXTRA PRIDE DATES JULY 28–30 & AUG 1 – $32 Book Now

CONTEST ALERT

Enter for your chance to win a spot for you and and a friend on an upcoming tour, along with a $50 voucher to use at Mary’s on Davie. Click here for contest details. Winner will be chosen on July 21, 2022.

Glenn Tkach: Creator | Storyteller | Man in Pink

Glenn Tkach is the creator of the Really Gay History Tour, and started as a storyteller at Forbidden Vancouver six years ago. Before long, he approached company founder Will Woods about launching a queer history tour. Glenn spent many months researching, interviewing, and reworking the information into the Really Gay History Tour!

Today, Glenn works to bridge the gap between queer Vancouver’s past and present. He proudly acts as a conduit through which real understanding and compassion are built for the Vancouver heroes who fought for gay rights and visibility.

Glenn has a background in theatre, specializing in storytelling, mime, and physical theatre. He’s chosen to make storytelling his full-time gig, along with his soon-to-be-launched podcast Requeering History. Join Glenn on a tour and meet him for yourself!

Check Out More Forbidden Vancouver Tours here.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.