Toronto’s Canadian Music Week (CMW) which began in 1960 and took off in 1981 with the introduction of conferences has been rebranded as Departure Festival + Conference by its new owners, Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group (OVG). They deem it to be a reimagined and expanded vision of Canadian Music Week (CMW). Rooted in its rich music history, Departure marks a fresh era for the beloved festival with new innovative programming streams that include music, art, comedy, and technology. Since its inception in 1982, Canadian Music Week has been a leading music festival and conference in North America and Departure builds on this legacy as it steps into a new era.
At an industry and media launch event in Toronto last November (2024), Randy Lennox, co-founder and CEO of Loft Entertainment; Tom Pistore President of OVG Canada; Kevin Barton, Executive Producer, Loft Entertainment; and Jackie Dean, Chief Operating Officer of Loft Entertainment, outlined the new vision for the festival. The launch event also welcomed Comedian Russell Peters as a special guest.
“Departure honours where we’ve come from and celebrates where we are going,” said Kevin Barton, Executive Producer at Loft Entertainment. “We’re creating a launchpad that opens doors to deeper, more inclusive conversations and showcases the richness of Toronto’s cultural scene, celebrates Canadian creatives, and welcomes global artists. We invite industry professionals, music and arts lovers and festival-goers to experience the event in a whole new way.”
“Why is it called Departure Festival? It sounds like a travel event.”
Despite the new name conjuring up images of airports and travel, the name “Departure” is intended to suggest a move away from a purely Canadian focus and towards a more international event that attracts talent and audiences from around the world.
Hotel X hosts the Departure Festival + Conference from May 6-11, 2025. The festival offers a robust lineup of events that reflect Toronto and Canada’s position as a cultural hub. From electrifying performances to thought-provoking panels, Departure is intended to deepen community connections, invite audiences to explore the city’s diverse creative landscape and solidify its presence as a must-attend event for creatives from around the world.
Radiodays North America Conference
Radiodays North America Conference will return as part of Departure, bringing industries back together to learn and inspire those working in audio entertainment.
Taking place May 6-8, 2025 at Hotel X Toronto during the Departure Festival + Conference, Radiodays North America returns for its third consecutive year as the premier conference for radio, podcast, and audio professionals from Canada, the U.S., and around the world. From engaging keynotes to thought-provoking panel discussions with global industry visionaries, Radiodays North America aims to inspire and drive the future of audio.
Taking place over three days, this year’s Radiodays North America lineup includes a wide range of speakers including legendary musical artist Bryan Adams; Chief Insights Officer for Cumulus Media and Westwood One, Pierre Bouvard; Senior Managing Director for CBC British Columbia, Alison Broddle; Director of Radio Content, iHeartRadio & Orbyt for Bell Media, Sarah Cummings; Vice President of Programming and Operations for Audacy in Los Angeles, Chris Ebbott; Program Director of KNX Los Angeles, Alex Silverman; VP Digital Strategy, Hubbard Radio, Jeremy Sinon; and Director of Programming, Pattison Media, Ross Winters.
“We’re pleased to welcome the best and brightest in radio and podcasting to create an environment where invention and imagination meet,” said Peter Niegel, General Manager and Head of Programming at Radiodays North America. “This year’s lineup will explore the most important issues and opportunities facing our industry, from the role of AI to the future of local news, to learn and share knowledge with each other. We hope to encourage conversations that push the audio space forward.”
2025 Conference Schedule available at departureto.com
Speakers and Performance lineup
Bottom left to right: Jully Black, Notorious Cree, How Did This Get Made? – Live, Trevor Wallace, Pete Holmes, Harland Williams
Speakers and performers recently added to the lineup include celebrated musical artists Grace Vanderwaal, Lindsay Ell, Gabriela Bee, Gavin McLeod, CRi, The Redhill Valleys, Stuck On Planet Earth. Acclaimed visual artists Justin Bua and Danny Hastings also join the program, alongside Universal Music Canada President/CEO, Julie Adam, and President of Touring for Live Nation Concerts, Omar Al-Joulani, among others. Juno-award winning singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez will receive the Allan Slaight Humanitarian Award presented by Slaight Music and entrepreneur powerhouse Matty Matheson will be awarded the Cultural Innovator Award at the Departure Honours.
These artists and executives join the previously announced Bryan Adams, Tegan and Sara, Mustafa, Dallas Green, Tia Wood, Max Kerman, Shaggy, among many others, as Departure Festival + Conference launches its first edition in May. Registered Departure conference pass-holders will get first access to tickets for Dave Chappelle’s stand up show on May 7 before an exclusive pre-sale begins at 10:00 a.m. on April 16.
Visit departureto.com for the complete lineup of artists, venues and schedule of events.
FESTIVAL MUSIC PROGRAMMING:
Departure is proud to announce 100+ showcase artists across 40+ venues for this year’s Festival and debuts an exciting lineup of emerging artists. All Departure pass holders will have access to these showcases. The Music Pass is currently available at an early bird rate of $60 until April 1.
As part of the Artist Showcase, Departure will present the Canada’s Walk Of Fame RBC Emerging Musician Program Winner Showcase on May 7 at Rivoli, spotlighting rising talents Gabriel Fredette, Dallas, Mint Simon, Jackie Art, and Tiger Balme.
In addition, Departure has announced several premium events to join their roster including Noeline Hoffman, Sadboi, Planet Giza, Bobby Bazini, Koven Wei, PACKS, and Adam Melchor.
The SiriusXM Spotlight Series at Lee’s Palace, celebrating its 40th anniversary, brings prominent Canadian artists including Death from Above 1979, Noeline Hofmann, Planet Giza, Rural Alberta Advantage, and Papooz to the iconic venue.
Click here for a full list of artists, venues and schedule of events to date.
Click here for a full list of Music Showcase Artists.
FESTIVAL COMEDY PROGRAMMING:
Departure’s laugh-out-loud comedy lineup will feature an impressive slate including How Did This Get Made? – Live, the award-winning podcast that celebrates bad movies with co-host comedians and actors Paul Scheer (The League), Jason Mantzoukas (Big Mouth), and June Diane Raphael (Grace & Frankie); viral stand-up comedian Trevor Wallace; stand-up comedian and actor Pete Holmes (Crashing); and beloved Canadian actor Harland Williams (Dumb and Dumber, RocketMan).
The Festival will place a specific focus on exceptional homegrown talents with two Canadian Comedy Industry Showcases, hosted by Ali Hassan and Rebecca Reeds that highlight some of the best Canadian comics, as well as the Canadian Headliner Series at Comedy Bar, which will welcome some of Canada’s most celebrated comics including acclaimed actress and comedian Caroline Rhea, stand-up powerhouse Mark Forward performing The New Show (where every performance is completely new), Juno Award-winning comedian Ivan Decker, and Indian-immigrant-turned-stand-up comedian Ashwyn Singh, among others, plus American comedian, actress, and writer Leslie Liao.
Departure will also bring Don’t Tell Comedy, the #1 global discovery platform for stand-up comedy, with two special tapings at a secret location featuring 12 of the best Canadian comedians from across the country.
Continuing to spotlight Canadian comedians, Departure will present New Arrivals: A Departure Solo Sketch Showcase. Created in partnership with The Second City, which has played an important role in developing new sketch comedy talent, this show will feature The Second City’s top emerging performers alongside some of Toronto’s best sketch comedians, showcasing their finest solo comedy sketches. Expect a night of fresh, bold voices shaping the future of comedy.
In addition, Canadian comedy veterans Jean-Paul & Jay Martin will host the Trinidad vs. Jamaica Comedy Clash, where top Jamaican and Trinidadian comedians, including Team Jamaica: Julie Mango, Kathy Grant, and Fancy Cat, and Team Trinidad: Jr. Lee, Ro ‘Dey, and a surprise special guest go head-to-head in a clean comedy showdown.
Click here for a list of Comedy Programming to date.
Departure Festival and Conference expands the footprint of arts and culture
The reimagined CMW expands its footprint in the arts and culture, embracing a broader spectrum of artistic expressions, from technology to comedy in its inaugural year, and expanding into film and fashion in the near future. The festival debuts an enriched program including a songwriter showcase, comedy performances, and an enhanced culinary experience with boutique food trucks and outdoor activations. Additionally, a new festival app and digital infrastructure will improve the delegate experience with app-based meeting requests to facilitate meaningful connections between industry professionals, and extend access to a wider, more inclusive community with live streamed and on-demand content.
lead photo From left to right: Jackie Dean, Chief Operating Officer of Loft Entertainment; Tom Pistore President of OVG Canada; Kevin Barton, Executive Producer, Loft Entertainment and Randy Lennox, co-founder and CEO of Loft Entertainment photo by George Pimentel for Departure
by Terry Lankstead from news releases provided by Departure Festival
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