
Drake Announces OVO Fest Will Return To Toronto This Summer
Source: Cole Burston / Getty
As we round out a year since his fiery beef with Kendrick Lamar, Drake has once again refused to hunker down and is instead back outside.
Over the weekend, Drizzy popped out for Central Cee's Toronto show at the History venue and announced to his hometown that the OVO Fest will be returning this summer.
'I'll see you this summer,' he tells the crowd. 'I will say this, though, because I haven't had the chance to say this yet. OVO Fest is back this year.'
The crowd erupts with the news as Drake puts Cee on the spot, telling him he needs to come through for the Toronto-born musical festival.
Drake hasn't held the annual fest since 2022, which he dubbed the October World Weekend: Road to OVO Fest Tour . It was the festival's 10th anniversary, so he enlisted some pioneering Canadian acts to perform, including Nelly Furtado, Kardinal Offishall, Saukrates, k-os, Choclair, Glenn Lewis, and Jully Black.
The weekend continued with Chris Brown and Lil Baby, and the final night served as a YMCMB reunion as Drake took the stage with Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj.
Before that, it'd been a few years since Drake organized the festival because of COVID-19 restrictions and contracting the virus himself.
Drake didn't announce any official plans or a venue, but the fest usually gets announced at the top of the summer, while it occurs towards the end of July, so we should expect an official announcement soon.
See how hyped social media is for the lineup to be revealed below.
Drake Announces OVO Fest Will Return To Toronto This Summer was originally published on cassiuslife.com
Black America Web Featured Video
CLOSE
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Toronto novelists Linwood Barclay and Shari Lapena among guests at Motive Crime & Mystery Festival
Indigo 2300 Yonge St. Signing: Terry Kirk Sat., 1 p.m. Canadian author Terry Kirk signs copies of her debut novel, the historical thriller 'Pitfall,' in which the Wall Street crash of October 1929 leads a trader to head to Saskatchewan to sell Canadian booze to Chicago mobsters. Victoria University 73 Queens Park Motive Crime & Mystery Festival Sat. & Sun., 1:30 p.m. Authors and readers gather for a weekend of signings, workshops and conversations with the likes of Shari Lapena, Lisa Unger and Linwood Barclay. For info, go to . Hopeless Romantic Books 28 Bathurst St. Romantasy BookTalk Sat., 2 p.m. Authors Emily Varga ('For She Is Wrath') and Kristen Ciccarelli ('The Crimson Moth' duology) discuss their work and the popular romantasy genre. The event at the STACKT Market will feature author Q&As, signings, giveaways and refreshments. Author Kristen Ciccarelli appears at Hopeless Romantic Books on Saturday. A Different Booklist 779 Bathurst St. Launch: 'You Never Know What You're Going to Get' Sat., 5 p.m. A reading and signing celebrating the publication of a new short-story anthology featuring Jaimie Franchi, Ndija Anderson-Yantha, Latoya Belfon, Peter Tetteh Loveson, Julianne Mundle, Gayle Gonsalves, Saira Batasar-Johnie, Deborah Ross-Attas, Caroline Bennet, Abigail Grimes and editor Juleus Ghunta. Blackhurst Cultural Centre 777 Bathurst St. Discussion: 'Indigenous Rights in One Minute: What You Need to Know to Talk Reconciliation' Weds., 6:30 p.m. In an event hosted by A Different Booklist, Bruce McIvor, a historian and member of the Manitoba Métis Federation, talks about his book with Pamela Palmater, Mi'kmaw lawyer and activist.


Newsweek
6 hours ago
- Newsweek
Dog's 'Pure Joy' as Owner Sets Up Splash Pad in Yard Wins Pet of the Week
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A week filled with fun videos of puppies trying to master the stairs and a friendly doggy neighbor making his rounds brightened our social media timelines, but a few of our readers' pet videos and pictures stood out. Check out our latest winner and finalists for this week's Pet of the Week line-up. Be sure to follow the instructions at the end of the story to submit your pet to be in the running. Winner Photos of Camden, the rescue dog who is obsessed with playing in water toys, won Newsweek's Pet of the Week. Photos of Camden, the rescue dog who is obsessed with playing in water toys, won Newsweek's Pet of the Week. Courtesy of Debi Kleiman This week's Pet of the Week winner is Camden, a "supermutt" dog obsessed with playing in the water. Camden's owner, Debi Kleiman, will place a splash pad out for him with water shooting out like a fountain all around the perimeter. He'll jump through the water, back-and-forth, again and again, showing nothing but "pure joy." He'll play until it turns off, Kleiman told Newsweek via email. "During this escapade, he played for 20 minutes straight until he busted it," she said. "We were able to repair it." Camden will trade in a chewing toy or stuffed animal for any game that spouts out water, such as hoses, gutters, faucets or sprinklers. But the one in the video is by far his favorite, Kleiman said. "Camden is 100% fun and love, he is always happy," Kleiman said. "...We were so lucky to find him, he always makes us laugh." Finalists Thelma and George, two rescue Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz mixes from Spain. Thelma and George, two rescue Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz mixes from Spain. Susanne Dickmann After seeing animal shelters desperate for adopters as the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up, Susanne Dickmann and her family stepped up to adopt George and Thelma, who earned a spot as one of our finalists for this week. George and Thelma are Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz canines, Dickmann told Newsweek via email. Also known as the Andalusian terrier, these dogs were bred to help protect vineyard wine cellars from potential rat infestations. "They have a lovely, calm, affectionate disposition and are the perfect family dogs," she said. A photo of Shaggy, the Schnauzer mix, who is a therapy dog in Florida. A photo of Shaggy, the Schnauzer mix, who is a therapy dog in Florida. Monica Terrazas A Schnauzer mix earned our next spot in our finalists section. Monica Terrazas adopted him from the Humane Society in Dania Beach, Florida, after he was dropped on her lap at work during an event that brought in shelter dogs. "As soon as I took a walk outside my office, the HR director placed a puppy in my arms," Terrazas said. "She basically told me that he was adorable and that if I didn't take him home, then she would." She welcomed Shaggy home where he's quickly adjusted with her other dog, a 9-year-old named Kiki. Kiki has been showing Shaggy the ropes of how to be a dog, while also easing his fears and anxieties. With endless training, Shaggy is now a therapy dog and has earned a Canine Good Citizen certification. Photos of the animals a woman in Arizona helps rescue and rehabilitate. Photos of the animals a woman in Arizona helps rescue and rehabilitate. Courtesy of Ellie Last but not least, we are highlighting the rescue cats one woman has saved through the years. Ellie of Arizona has spent years dedicating her time and energy to helping animals. She volunteered at a local no-kill cat shelter. Since 2000, she's been working with numerous cats, helping to feed and medicate them. She especially focuses on the sick and elderly felines that are often overlooked. If you think your pet could be next week's Newsweek "Pet of the Week," send us your funny and heartwarming videos and pictures of your pet, along with a bit about them to life@ and they could appear in our "Pet of the Week" lineup.


Hamilton Spectator
6 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Toronto's vibrant Pride parade to cap off weekend of celebrations, marches
TORONTO - Artin Avaznia says he was transformed the first time he saw a group of Iranians marching in Toronto's Pride parade. The Iranian-Canadian dancer was in his mid-20s and it was his first time attending North America's largest Pride festival. It was a stark contrast to what he'd seen in his hometown of Ottawa, which he described as a 'small, very government city' that was lacking in large-scale queer representation at the time. 'Seeing that brought tears to my eyes,' Avaznia said in an interview ahead of a performance at the Pride festival on Friday. 'I never witnessed that before, seeing representation of not just Iranians but the broader Middle Eastern folks, just because (being) queer and Middle Eastern doesn't always go so well together.' Avaznia said experiencing his first Pride in the city was 'monumental, seeing so many other queer folks of all different ethnicities and backgrounds.' This weekend will feature street parties, musical performances, picnics and marches before the festival culminates in the vibrant Pride parade on Sunday. More than 25,000 marchers from some 250 groups are expected to participate in the weekend's biggest show of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. The last weekend of Pride month and the parade drew a large number of visitors. Toronto police say they will increase their presence throughout the city and in the Church-Wellesley Village – the hub of Pride activities – to ensure everyone's safety. 'So many folks during this month feel seen, they feel protected, they feel heard and they feel they belong,' said Avaznia, who credits his own career momentum to Pride. But this year, the celebrations and the spectacle also come with questions about what the future of Pride Toronto will look like after major corporate sponsors pulled out of the festival. Earlier this month, Pride Toronto said it's facing a $900,000 funding gap due to withdrawals of big sponsors such as Google, Nissan, Home Depot and Clorox, and rising costs of running the festival. Pride Toronto executive director Kojo Modeste attributed the corporate withdrawals to backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States under President Donald Trump's administration. Some of the companies said their decisions were solely based on budgetary considerations, and Google said its employees will still march in Sunday's parade. Modeste has said that next year's Pride festival will likely be scaled down as a result of the shortfall if the organization does not get the support it needs to stay afloat. A scaled down Pride could jeopardize the festival's status as one of the largest Pride celebrations in the world, Modeste warned. For Avaznia, shifting corporate sponsorship doesn't mean Pride won't continue to be a beacon of hope for members of the queer community and those who flock to Toronto annually to feel a sense of belonging. Instead, he said, the changes highlight which brands are invested in supporting Pride for the right reasons. 'Certain sponsors do genuinely want to support and the ones that I've partnered up with have shown to me their true colours and how much they want to support us. Other sponsors that have pulled out … are also showing their true colours,' he said. 'Queer folks have dealt with a tremendous amount of adversities in their lives. A lot of us have dealt with housing issues, we've dealt with the loss of family, we dealt with substance issues,' he said. 'But we will always rise and we will always come forward.' — With files from Vanessa Tiberio This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 28, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .