Goodbye, Canadian Music Week.
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Hello, Departure Festival + Conference.
Canadian Music Week (CMW) — a large-scale music festival and conference in North America since 1982 — will now go by Departure Festival + Conference.
The change was announced by the festival and music conference’s new owners, Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group, on Tuesday afternoon in Toronto where it’s held annually.
Hotel X on Toronto’s waterfront will host the 2025 edition of the Departure Festival + Conference from May 6-11 and will expand its arts-culture mandate to include technology and comedy in its inaugural year before moving into film and fashion in the near future.
In 2025, Departure will debut a songwriter showcase, comedy performances, boutique food trucks and outdoor activations plus a new festival app and digital infrastructure.
“Departure honours where we’ve come from and celebrates where we are going,” Kevin Barton, executive producer at Loft Entertainment, said in a news release.
“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.”
Among those at the industry and media launch event at Hotel X were Randy Lennox, co-founder and CEO of Loft Entertainment, and Canadian comedian Russell Peters as a special guest.
Artist applications open on Nov. 22, with waived application fees and paid honorariums for showcase performers while priority (VIP) and conference passes will go on early bird sale at departureto.com starting Nov. 22 through to Jan. 24, 2025.