Tegan and Sara, Fefe Dobson, Arkells Frontman Max Kerman Added To Departure Festival + Conference 

Toronto’s Departure Festival + Conference, May 6-11, the rebirth of the 42-year-old Canadian Music Week with additional verticals, comedy, tech and food, has just announced more speakers and performers, as the event inches closer to its arrival. 

The final schedule will be available April 8.  

Now co-owned by Oak View Group (OVG) — the parent company of Pollstar — and Toronto’s Loft Entertainment, who bought it last year from founder Neill Dixon,  the conference has secured Grammy-nominated Juno-winning twins Tegan and Sara; multi-platinum rock singer Fefe Dobson; Arkells frontman Max Kerman, who will present his first book, Try Hard; record producer Murda Beatz (Travis Scott, Drake), multidisciplinary artist Vivek Shraya; Toronto publicist and author Dalton Higgins; Indigenous rights and water activist, Autumn Peltier; acrylic artist Julia Brevetti;  TVO’s The Agenda cohost Nam Kiwanuka; vegan chef Lauren Toyota; and Revelios founder/president Catherine Harrison. 

The “reimagined” conference will take place at Hotel X and the festival at more than 40 venues throughout the city now. 

The music festival, which will have over 100 showcases, has now added Canadian Folk Music’s emerging artist of the year Noah Derksen, UK tech house DJ Chapter & Verse,  rapper DijahSB, country artist Sully Burrows, and EDM DJ Felix Cartal, who will headline a set outside Hotel X. Former Migos rapper/singer Quavo and Murda Beatz will close the festival.

For the comedy lineup, Elvira Kurt, host of the game show Spin Off, will perform at the Comedy Bar, and actor/comedian Jamie Kennedy (Scream) The Jamie Kennedy Experiment will join Harland Williams for his two shows at The Royal Theatre.

The new speakers and performers join previously announced speakers, such as Bryan Adams, musician Dallas Green, Oak View Group chairman & CEO Tim Leiweke, The Bear actor/restauranteur Matty Matheson, Shaggy, R&B singer Jully Black,  Hipgnosis Songs Fund CEO Merck Mercuriadis in conversation with industry pundit and CMW regular Bob Lefsetz; Insomniac Events talent buyer Simon Kessler; United Talent Agency Music agent Perry Gilman; and Live Nation Canada’s head of industry relations Joey “Vendetta” Scoleri.

For a more thorough look at who will be at Departure, check out Pollstar’s last news update here.

The music festival is being booked by festival director Pat Murphy and comedy festival by Bruce Hills, former president of Just For Laughs.

Priority and Conference Passes are on sale at departureto.com.

Click here for a list of conference speakers to date. 

Click here for a list of comedians scheduled to date. Click here for a list of artist showcases to date.