The annual Departure Festival concludes this weekend, but not before jam-packed final days of music showcases, film screenings and high-value networking events.
Formerly known as Canadian Music Week, Departure kicked off on May 4 and comes to a close this Sunday, May 10. More than 3,000 global visionaries, cultural leaders and creative entrepreneurs were estimated to attend the city-wide festival, which celebrates global artistry.
Here are six multi-disciplinary Departure events that should be on your radar this weekend.
Stray Kids: The dominATE Experience
Global K-Pop sensation Stray Kids is coming to the big screen on May 9 with the epic concert film Stray Kids: The dominATE Experience. Taking over the Paradise Theatre, the cinematic experience chronicles their sold-out SoFi Stadium performances, along with behind-the-scenes footage. The boy band has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and this film will give fans a glimpse behind the curtain of their favourite band.
The screening kicks off at 2 p.m., and tickets are available for $23.
Bif Naked: A Documentary, featuring live Q&A and performance
This May 9 documentary tells the story of the iconic Canadian punk artist who turned a lifetime of hardship into music, activism, and raw self-expression. Born in India and adopted by American missionaries before growing up on the Canadian Prairies, Bif Naked navigates the trauma, assault, illness, and industry struggles the singer endured while carving out a fearless presence in the punk and alternative music scene, offering a behind-the-scenes perspective through intimate interviews, archival footage, and electrifying performances.
The screening begins at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are available for $23.
SiriusXM Spotlight Series: Chxrry and jev.
SiriusXM Spotlight Series is celebrating Canadian voices defining today’s sound, and this one’s all about Scarborough-raised singer Chxrry and Congolese-Canadian rapper jev. Both take the stage on May 9 at the Mod Club, just weeks before the release of Chxrry’s debut album U, Me & My Ego and following jev.’s September 2025 third studio album LONERWRLD, vol 2.
The show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are on sale for $43.
Showcase: Afrique Like Me
Toronto’s premier African electronic dance music experience returns with a special Departure Festival edition. Taking over Runnymede Hall on May 9, Afrique Like Me is bringing together Afrohouse, GQOM, amapiano, and global club sounds for a pulsing night of African dance music. Alongside the trio, the event features a stacked lineup of international talent and local favourites like Meedy, Kem Kem, The Maskateers, and Risky Medicine guaranteed to keep the party going all night long.
The showcase kicks off at 10 p.m., and tickets are going for around $44.
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Live Podcast: Big in Canada
Co-hosted by Mackenzie Cameron and Laura Stanley, Big in Canada is the podcast dedicated to the songs and artists that somehow became massive north of the border — and nowhere else. The duo will blend humour, music criticism, and deep dives into Canadian pop culture, as the show unpacks the stories behind the hits Canadians seem destined to hear forever.
Held inside Burdock Music Hall on May 10, tickets are currently available for around $23.
The Sundown Sessions
Monthly music showcase The Sundown Sessions returns to the Rivoli on May 10, created and hosted by artists Amy Craze and Tiffany Luvv. For this special Departure edition, the lineup features performances by Avery Raquel, B. Knox, Willem James Cowan, Joie, and The Sundown Sessions’ co-creator, Amy Craze.
Access is available through Departure’s passes, which are available for purchase.
