Palomosa is kicking off Montréal’s 2026 festival season earlier than usual.
The genre-blurring event will take over Parc Jean-Drapeau from May 14 -16, marking a strategic calendar shift for the festival known for its digitally driven, cross-scene programming.
Palomosa's mission is to "bring Internet culture into the physical world," and that is evident on the lineup for the third edition of the festival, which moves from September to May.
Among the first names announced are MGMT, performing a rare DJ set, alongside underground and experimental acts including fakemink, Xaviersobased, Sofia Stel, POiSON GiRL FRiEND, DJ Smokey and Kinji00. MGMT will perform a DJ set, reflecting the 2000s-era duo's viral resurgence on social media.
advertisement
The three-day event will kick off with an outdoor block party helmed by X-Coast and his Deejay Academy collective, immediately setting the festival’s high-intensity tone. Friday’s program will unfold across two stages, led by MGMT on the FIZZ Stage alongside artists spanning hyperpop, experimental rap and electronic music. Over on the Banque Nationale Stage, Hannah Diamond (PC Music), Doss and CFCF will drive the night’s forward-facing club and digital pop energy.
Saturday’s closing program will push further into Palomosa’s experimental core. Buzzy hip-hop act Fakemink and Thaiboi Digital will lead the FIZZ Stage, while Dylan Brady (100 gecs) and DJ Smokey top the Banque Nationale Stage, underscoring the festival’s emphasis on boundary-pushing electronic and post-Internet sounds.
With its move to May, Palomosa positions itself as Montréal’s opening signal for summer. After a period marked by attendance pressures and unpredictable weather that affected both past editions, this year’s event may serve as an early barometer for the season ahead.
True to its identity, the festival channels online culture and Montréal’s youth-driven underground scenes into a large-scale live setting, carving out a distinct space apart from late-summer fixtures like Osheaga and LASSO that happen at the same venue.
