Departure Festival + Conference Expands Lineup with Entertainment’s Biggest Names
Pop duo Tegan and Sara, Arkells frontman Max Kerman and pop-punk trailblazer Fefe Dobson join the stellar lineup of speakers.
Canadian comedy favourite Elvira Kurt and Scream movie star Jamie Kennedy added to Departure Festival’s comedy lineup.
Toronto, ON – March 20, 2025 – Loft Entertainment and Oak View Group (OVG) today announced world-renowned artists and speakers joining this year’s Departure Festival + Conference. Decorated music artists Tegan and Sara, Max Kerman, Fefe Dobson as well as comedy icons Elvira Kurt and Jamie Kennedy join previously announced guests including Bryan Adams, Dallas Green, Matty Matheson, Tia Wood, Shaggy, Jully Black, Mustafa, Harland Williams, Leslie Liao, Caroline Rhea, the hosts of How Did This Get Made? – Live and more. Departure Festival + Conference takes place May 6-11 in Toronto.
“With each new addition, Departure continues to establish itself as a must-attend event for artists, industry leaders and fans alike, from industry leaders to world-renowned performers, this year’s event will be essential for anyone passionate about the future of music, culture, and creativity.” – Kevin Barton, Executive Producer at Loft Entertainment
CONFERENCE PROGRAMMING
Departure continues to grow its already impressive slate of speakers for this year’s conference, showcasing leaders and innovators from the music industry including Grammy-nominated, Juno-winning indie pop duo Tegan and Sara, Arkells frontman Max Kerman, who presents his debut book, Try Hard and multi-platinum award-winning pop-punk artist Fefe Dobson.
Offering key insights into the vigorous music market from talent management to industry insights, Departure’s Conference will welcome record producer Murda Beatz—known for his work with Travis Scott, Drake, and more; award-winning, multidisciplinary artist Vivek Shraya; Toronto journalist, author and publicist; Dalton Higgins; Indigenous Rights & Water activist, Autumn Peltier; Toronto-based realism and pop artist Julia Brevetti; co-host of TVO’s The Agenda, Nam Kiwanuka; vegan chef and creator Lauren Toyota, and Catherine Harrison, Founder and President of Revelios – Mental Health Works
FESTIVAL MUSIC PROGRAMMING
Departure will welcome additional musical talents to join the Festival including Canadian Folk Music’s Emerging Artist of the Year Noah Derksen, popular UK tech house DJ Chapter & Verse, rising star rapper DijahSB, emerging country artist Sully Burrows, electronic dance DJ Felix Cartal, who will headline an energetic DJ set outside Hotel X.
FESTIVAL COMEDY PROGRAMMING
Departure continues its celebration of Canadian comedy with the addition of Elvira Kurt, beloved host of the hit game show Spin Off, performing at Comedy Bar, a cornerstone of Canada’s comedy scene and a key Departure Festival venue. Additionally, actor and comedian Jamie Kennedy—known for his roles in the Scream movies, and The Jamie Kennedy Experiment—will join Harland Williams as a special guest for his two shows at The Royal Theatre on May 8th, adding even more star power to Departure’s comedy lineup.
Hotel X Toronto serves as the central hub for Departure’s Conference activities and film screenings, while the Festival will span 40+ venues across the city and showcase 100+ emerging and established artists — with the complete lineup to be announced in the coming weeks.
About Loft Entertainment
Loft Entertainment invests in culture-defining talent and creative partners to tell their stories. Founded by industry veteran Randy Lennox in Summer 2023, Loft offers the world’s leading artists creative, strategic and business services across all artistic and commercial touchpoints in the music, film and media. Visit loftent.com.
About Oak View Group
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class-owned venues and a client roster of arenas, stadiums, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions. Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developer of major new venues either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
Media Contact
Touchwood PR
departure@touchwoodpr.com