M.A.D. Festival returns August 20–23 with 110+ designers and record fashion lineup
Downtown Montreal's free end-of-summer festival marks its 26th edition with over 110 designers, live music, street dance, and the province's largest open-air local market.
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The M.A.D. Festival — fashion, arts, and entertainment — returns to downtown Montreal's Quartier des spectacles from Thursday, August 20 to Sunday, August 23 for its 26th edition, with organizers promising the biggest lineup yet.
This year's edition features more than 110 designers, a record for the festival. The music slate spans an eclectic range: the collective Bonne Famille and pop artist Naomi headline, with Cirque Cosmic, Jamaz, Cherry Lena, and a back-to-back set from YUKI B and VIRGINIE B under the Groove Galore banner. Vicious – Sweet Technique will lead the festival's street-dance programming, built around Montreal's street-dance scene.
The runway shows form the festival's spine, drawing from across the city's fashion spectrum — established names like Maison Marie Saint-Pierre and Guillaum Chaigne sit alongside emerging designers Lavender May and Maison Préfontaine, with dozens more across the four days.
Two additional zones round out the site. The Art Zone brings nearly 20 visual artists into open-air residency, working live in front of the crowd; painting and textile work take the spotlight this year, with artist istaymute returning for a third edition. The Pop-up Market gathers more than 70 Quebec businesses — including La Maison Pony, Hoaka Swimwear, Les Céramiques Monokiini, Another Land Nearby, and Twenty Compass — making it the province's largest fully local open-air market.
The festival drew more than half a million people to the Quartier des spectacles last summer, and organizers are aiming higher this year. All programming happens within a few blocks of the Place-des-Arts métro station, with events running day into night across the festival weekend. Full schedule details will be released on the festival's website in the coming weeks.
