Ahead of The Weeknd’s two-night tour in Toronto, Mayor Chow has officially declared July 26-27 “The Weeknd Weekend.”
On Friday, Chow issued a proclamation for this weekend dubbing it after Abel Tesfaye, who is known professionally as The Weeknd, in honour of his impact in his hometown and around the world.
“To celebrate the kickoff of his Toronto concert series, and in recognition of his cultural impact both at home and globally, we thank The Weeknd for his continued contributions to Toronto’s artistic and cultural identity,” the proclamation states.
The chart-topping Canadian singer was raised in southwest Scarborough and began his music journey by sharing songs anonymously online.
The Weeknd has earned countless accolades, including Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards and Juno Awards.
Beyond his music, Chow notes that The Weeknd is a philanthropist, giving millions to causes globally and here in Toronto.
“He frequently celebrates Toronto in much of his work and has always remained proud of his Scarborough roots,” Chow wrote.
The proclamation comes ahead of his hometown stop at the Rogers Centre on July 27 and 28. Fellow Canadian music producer and DJ Kaytranada will be joining him along with producer Mike Dean.
Online, people are applauding the mayor’s move and congratulating the singer on his undeniable success.
“Big up scarbroo,” one Instagram user commented.
“I’m crying,” another user said.
“Good. He deserves more…,” another user stated.
Earlier this year, The Weeknd dropped Hurry Up Tomorrow, the third and final installment of his latest trilogy, following 2020’s After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM. His latest album also marks the last time he’s using his stage name, after saying he wants to be referred to as his birth name going forward.
