Montreal’s fashion designers, performers, and artists animate the Quartier des spectacles
August 13, 2026
From August 20 to 23, 2026, the Quartier des spectacles will host the 26th edition of the M.A.D. Festival, where more than 110 designers will take part, alongside a market of 70 local businesses. Fashion, music, dance and visual arts will come together for four days of creativity in downtown Montreal. The festival will transform Place des Festivals and nearby spaces into a hub for fashion shows, live music, dance performances, art and local shopping. Outdoor programming is free.
Fashion shows, musical performances, dance, artistic interventions and local commerce come together at Place des Festivals and throughout the surrounding area.
One of Montreal’s major summer events, the festival brings together emerging and established designers, multidisciplinary artists and the public. “This 26th edition celebrates our maturity, but above all our boldness,” says Jean-François Daviau, the festival’s president and founder. “With more than 110 designers and a bold mix of music, visual arts and fashion, the M.A.D. Festival continues to play an important role in Montreal’s cultural scene.”
Fashion as a Public Stage
The number speaks for itself: more than 110 designers, ateliers and fashion schools will take part in this edition, setting a new festival record. The programme will feature both established Quebec designers and emerging talent in a series of shows that will turn Place des Festivals into an open-air runway.
Among the announced names are Guillaum Chaigne, Lavender May, Maison Marie Saint Pierre and Maison Préfontaine, as well as PONTA, MAS Montréal, Personnalité¹⁰, TAMARRÉ, Nkundi, QZ SHEN and ÉGÉRIE STUDIO. The École de mode at Cégep Marie-Victorin is also part of a programme that highlights the varied approaches shaping contemporary fashion design.
The programme extends well beyond the collections themselves. On August 22, the Défile ton Montréal project will take place at Place des Festivals after making its way through several Montreal neighbourhoods. Conceived as a tour connecting fashion, independent businesses, architecture and local craftsmanship, the initiative will visit, among other areas, Plaza St-Hubert, Montréal-Nord, the Plateau-Mont-Royal, the District Central and Verdun.
Sound, Movement and Images
The M.A.D. Festival has long embraced the blending of artistic disciplines, and the 2026 edition continues firmly in that direction. Music will play a central role, with the Bonne Famille collective, Naomi, Cirque Cosmic, Groove Galore, Jamaz, and Cherry Lena. The festival will present sounds ranging from pop to electronic textures, along with more celebratory and experimental offerings. Dance will also be an integral part of the experience, both on stage and throughout the festival site, notably through the presence of Vicious – Sweet Technique.
‘The performances will reinforce the event’s vibrant, spontaneous and urban character.’
In the visual arts, the Art Zone will welcome nearly 20 artists-in-residence. Visitors will be able to watch works take shape on site, in a format that turns the creative process itself into a spectacle. Painting and textile arts will be especially prominent, notably through a collaboration with Galerie L’Original.
Local Commerce Takes Centre Stage
The M.A.D. Pop-Up Market is the other major component of this year’s edition. The organization describes it as Quebec’s largest outdoor market dedicated to local businesses, bringing together more than 70 brands. The space will allow visitors to discover, meet and support local entrepreneurs in an experience that goes well beyond simple shopping. The market confirms one of the festival’s strengths: bringing together, under one banner, designers on the runway, small-scale producers and visitors looking to buy local.
Ahead of the festivities, the Rencontres series will take place on August 17 and 18 at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth. These discussions will bring together people working in the creative industries and extend the festival into the realm of ideas, practices and collaboration. With its fashion shows, concerts, artists at work and expansive makers’ market, the 2026 M.A.D. Festival aims to make downtown Montreal a showcase for the city’s bold spirit—a welcoming celebration of fashion as a cultural, social and distinctly local expression.
About M.A.D.
The M.A.D. Festival is a major international event celebrating creativity and culture in the heart of Montreal’s Quartier des spectacles. Formerly known as the Festival Mode + Design, it brings together fashion shows, artistic performances, concerts, exhibitions, and commercial initiatives, while showcasing both established and emerging Canadian creators. By encouraging personal expression and cross-disciplinary connections, the festival has become one of the highlights of Montreal’s cultural calendar.
Images courtesy of M.A.D. Festival
