Drake lookalike contest set for Toronto
Published December 12, 2024 at 4:35 pm
If you’ve been wondering about the celebrity lookalike contest trend proliferating on social media, you won’t have to travel to the U.S. to see, in person, what all the fuss is about.
Casuals Cakery recently announced that it’s capitalizing on the growing trend with a distinctly Canadian event: A Drake lookalike contest.
The Drake Era’s Lookalike Contest is slated to take place at Apt 200 (1034 Queet St. W.) on Dec. 14 at 4 p.m. While organizers had initially promised a “Toronto Mans” prize pack with a bottle of Hennessy, a pack of backwoods and “other surprises,” the man of the hour recently decided to shake things up by offering to reward the winner with $10,000.
“I’m adding 10 bands to the lookalike contest,” Champagne Papi wrote in a DM to the up-and-coming bakery hosting the event.
“As the main prize.”
Organizers were shocked by the unexpected gesture.
“I can barely type and a whole shock went through my body. But yes this is true and real & I hope the Drake doppelgängers [are] ready,” Casuals Cakery wrote on Instagram.
In slides shared with reporters, organizers say the Toronto contest is inspired by other events held outside of Canada, adding that celebrity lookalike contests have grown in popularity in both the U.S. and the U.K.
Contests calling for Glen Powell, Timothee Chalamet, Jeremy Allen White and other superstar lookalikes have indeed become a trend. According to the bakery, turnouts of 100 or more people are not unheard of, and celebrity involvement is also a possibility (and, as it turns out, a reality for this event).
As for why the company chose Drake, a slide says he’s a “Toronto icon/6ix god” who represents the city he calls home.
“Regardless of rap beefs, he still has a dedicated fanbase with a cult following for himself, OVO, OVO Sound and other off-brands. For the first lookalike contest in Toronto, it might as well be Drake,” a slide reads.
The organizers also credit Drake with keeping millennials and Gen Z’ers connected to Toronto’s culture and music scene.
In an email, organizers said the 19-plus event will feature treats, free samples and more.
“This is a Drake Era’s event so we are looking for the person who can show the most style, entertainment & creativity in honouring the city icon. There may or may not be a freestyle rap battle,” organizers said in a news release.
“This is an event where small businesses are coming together on a trend where foodies, hypebeasts/baes, and all Drake fans can come together in a fun afternoon of nostalgia to enhance community.”
Space is limited, so attendees are advised to arrive early.