#FIRSTLOOK: DEPARTURE FESTIVAL + CONFERENCE 2025 HIGHLIGHTS – MATTY MATHESON, TEGAN AND SARA, DALLAS GREEN, GRACE VANDERWAAL, “HOW DID THIS GET MADE?” AND MORE

The Departure Festival + Conference has officially taken flight in Toronto, running now through May 11, 2025. Having grown alongside Canadian Music Week, this reimagining of that 44-year Festival focuses on not only Music, by Comedy, Entertainment and Technology forming a hub for the likeminded. Based primarily out of Hotel X and venues surrounding the area, this inaugural edition of the Festival is lifted by some major starpower.

The Departure Honours Gala served to celebrate and honour Canadian creatives and Artists who have made significant impact through their work and coming to receive their flowers this year included chef and actor Matty Matheson, Dallas Green (also known as City and Color), along with presenters and performers Tegan and Sara, Jessie Reyez, Jully Black and so much more. Above this, names like Dave Chappelle, Grace VanderWaal, Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, June Diane Raphael, and more have shows around town.

Some highlights from the Red Carpet, evening hosted by eTalk‘s Tyrone Edwards and Traci Melchor:

 

 

 

 

 

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Day One of the Festival kicked things off on a high note. Our Justin Waldman and Genevieve Walker sat-in on some fascinating talks with Music icons Bryan Adams and Shaggy as they reflected upon their careers and where they are today. Adams mentioned he’s recording a radio show for IHeart Radio which will be airing soon, setting-up a studio in his hotel suite while he was here. Shaggy who knows Toronto very well, talks about evolution of that Jamaican swag, and being an honourary Canadian having won a JUNO Award for his album HOT SHOT.

 

 

 

 

 

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Day Two was highlighted not only by the first ever DEPARTURE HONOURS Gala, but guests of the Festival got to attend in-conversations with Matty Matheson (treated to free Matty’s Patty‘s burgers, nonetheless), Dallas Green, and also duo Tegan and Sara focused their conversation on their Tegan and Sara Foundation. Later in the evening we were so lucky to catch Grace VanderWaal on her Childstar Tour at Great Hall where she delivered a spellbinding hour-long set, both stylized and polished.

 

 

 

 

 

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Justin Waldman will be checking-out HOW DID THIS GET MADE? Podcast at Massey Hall tomorrow night and we’ll be sure to deliver the highlights from this eagerly-awaited show! Be sure to check back!

(Photo/video credit: Justin Waldman/Genevieve Walker/Mr. Will Wong)

#SPOTTED: MATTY MATHESON

This actually was incredibly exciting! We’re a huge fan of Matty’s Patty’s out near Trinity Bellwoods Park, so it brought us great joy to cross paths with Canadian Celebrity Chef Matty Matheson. We actually have visited his shop a few times hoping he’d be there and eventually we got our wish, spotting him in Yorkville grabbing Chinese food. He was amazingly-nice to stop for a quick snap before going to what looked like a meeting of sorts at the restaurant.

The former Executive Chef of hotspot Parts & Labour has built a devout following with his scrumptious creations, cookbooks and appearances on TV Series like VICE‘s Munchies on which his outgoing personality and unique image have won fans over internationally.

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More proof of our love for Matty! beanie also is a fan of his patties!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/VICE)