The Departure Festival and Conference, formerly Canadian Music Week, is back in 2026 and set to takeover the city May 4-10. With its return comes a week of music, media, sports, and digital culture.
This year Departure offers up its Summits series, single-day sessions hosted at Departure House (58 Berkeley St.) that are designed to foster dialogue, networking, and brand collaborations. Panels include the likes of Nick Storch, veteran rock agent for Disturbed and Limp Bizkit, and Mary Ramos, the award-winning music supervisor behind numerous Quentin Tarantino films.
Award-winning entertainer Lilly Singh, who also serves as Chief Hype Officer and owner of Toronto’s first WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo, will lead the Sports Summit on May 8. The popular YouTube star and CBC game show host will also be recognized with the Trailblazer Award at Departure Honours on May 7 at Koerner Hall.
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Departure continues to blend live experiences with educational programming. The SOCAN Songwriters Series at the Jane Mallett Theatre will feature masterclasses with Grammy-nominated songwriter Jenna Andrews (BTS, Netflix’s Hitmakers) and composer Peter Peter, who recently scored the hit series Heated Rivalry.
Fans of immersive musical experiences will also want to catch Choir! Choir! Choir! Angel: An Epic Sing-a-Long on May 6 at Massey Hall, featuring a surprise set and culminating in a performance of “Angel” with Sarah McLachlan. Proceeds support the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, providing free music education to youth facing barriers.
The festival’s film programming expands with an advanced screening of Boots Riley’s new film I Love Boosters, starring Keke Palmer and Naomi Ackie, on May 7 at the Paradise Theatre.
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The festival also activates Toronto streets with live music takeovers, including Geary Avenue from May 8–10, Casa Feston May 9 at CityView Lot, and the Rock Symphony at Casa Loma.
Of course, Departure also features a massive music festival showcasing up-and-coming bands from around the world at downtown Toronto bars and venues such as the Baby G, Cassette, Painted Lady and many more.
The full schedule of Departure Festival + Conference, including conference panels, summits, performances, and activations, is available at departureto.com.
