About us

Founded in 2012 by Amélie Blanchard, the festival was born out of her love for fiber following the start of her cashmere goat farm. This is how the Twist Festival was created, bringing together fiber enthusiasts and curious minds from all backgrounds - hobbyists, breeders, artisans - in one event. Since then, a tight-knit community has formed around the festival year after year.

TWIST is an annual event, an incursion into the world of textile fiber, for the general public, enthusiasts, fiber producers, fiber animal breeders, processors, artists, and artisans. TWIST is three days of festivities, with more than 130 vendors, around 40 workshops, kid's activities, textile performances, conferences, and a local food fair.

Twist 2024 team

Amélie Blanchard, Founder and General Manager

In 2011, Amélie created the Twist Festival, her dream textile fiber festival, which has become one of the most important in Canada. In 2021, she inaugurated Wööl, a local yarn store that also offers textile courses in Montebello.

Amélie is open-minded and easy to approach. She manages several projects in parallel. You can often find her working in her wool shop or her farm, wearing brightly colored overalls.

In 2011, Amélie created the Twist Festival, her dream textile fiber festival, which has become one of the most important in Canada. In 2021, she inaugurated Wööl, a local yarn store that also offers textile courses in Montebello.

Amélie is open-minded and easy to approach. She manages several projects in parallel. You can often find her working in her wool shop or her farm, wearing brightly colored overalls.

Eveline Cantin-Bergeron, Art director

Éveline is the art director of Twist. She discovered the textile world through knitting, and her favorite textile techniques art now weaving and dyeing (and spinning?).

She is passionnate about teaching, creative sustainable initiatives, travel and green olives.

Éveline is the art director of Twist. She discovered the textile world through knitting, and her favorite textile techniques art now weaving and dyeing (and spinning?).

She is passionnate about teaching, creative sustainable initiatives, travel and green olives.

Marie-Anne Adam, Development and programming director

Marie-Anne Adam is in charge of decorating the Twist festival site. She is also working on the development of an annual program of textile workshops in collaboration with Wööl ; Emporium de laine and Twist festival. This position allows her to share her passion with artists from across Quebec, North America and elsewhere and to promote textile arts to the general public throughout the year.

Always curious about new developments in fiber art and passionate about crafts of all kinds, she continues to explore the transformation of materials through weaving, spoon carving, knitting design and basketry.

Marie-Anne Adam is in charge of decorating the Twist festival site. She is also working on the development of an annual program of textile workshops in collaboration with Wööl ; Emporium de laine and Twist festival. This position allows her to share her passion with artists from across Quebec, North America and elsewhere and to promote textile arts to the general public throughout the year.

Always curious about new developments in fiber art and passionate about crafts of all kinds, she continues to explore the transformation of materials through weaving, spoon carving, knitting design and basketry.

Sonia Marleau, Digital operations director

Sonia manages the festival's website and ticketing, in addition to overseeing sales logistics.

She is described as calm, pragmatic, and resourceful, always ready to take on challenges and find solutions to problems. She enjoys cross-stitching and supporting boutiques that sell clothing made in Canada.

Sonia manages the festival's website and ticketing, in addition to overseeing sales logistics.

She is described as calm, pragmatic, and resourceful, always ready to take on challenges and find solutions to problems. She enjoys cross-stitching and supporting boutiques that sell clothing made in Canada.

Yves Whissel, Operations director

Yves is responsible for the outdoor area of the Festival. He ensures the smooth operation of the food fair and the demonstration corner.

He is a friendly and considerate person for whom no task is insurmountable. He is passionate about natural fiber and supports in every way those who highlight it.

Yves is responsible for the outdoor area of the Festival. He ensures the smooth operation of the food fair and the demonstration corner.

He is a friendly and considerate person for whom no task is insurmountable. He is passionate about natural fiber and supports in every way those who highlight it.

Marie-Claire Allard, Coordinator

Marie-Claire is part of the coordination team for the Twist Festival.

Recently settled in the Outaouais region, she has discovered the magic of spinning there. She has tried several fiber techniques and wishes the days lasted 35 hours so she could experiment with everything. Smiling and enthusiastic, she is always ready to help with various projects.

Marie-Claire is part of the coordination team for the Twist Festival.

Recently settled in the Outaouais region, she has discovered the magic of spinning there. She has tried several fiber techniques and wishes the days lasted 35 hours so she could experiment with everything. Smiling and enthusiastic, she is always ready to help with various projects.

Katryne Dubé, Coordinator

Katryne wears many hats and ensures everything runs smoothly during the festival: volunteer management, decoration, and promotion.

She is described as a motivated, smiling woman who is ready to take on challenges. Katryne is a leather artisan and sorghum broom maker. She loves working with her hands to create everyday items.

Katryne wears many hats and ensures everything runs smoothly during the festival: volunteer management, decoration, and promotion.

She is described as a motivated, smiling woman who is ready to take on challenges. Katryne is a leather artisan and sorghum broom maker. She loves working with her hands to create everyday items.

Sandrine Bédard, Coordinator

Sandrine assists the artistic director and contributes to the development of social media strategies.

She is described as a sociable, cheerful, and dynamic person. She is passionate about fashion and everything related to social media.

Sandrine assists the artistic director and contributes to the development of social media strategies.

She is described as a sociable, cheerful, and dynamic person. She is passionate about fashion and everything related to social media.

Agueda Iturbe-Kennedy, Our bestie

Agueda is a hands-on helper during the festival. Having been a volunteer for many editions, she will do her best to help the team, vendors, teachers and visitors during the festival.

Knitter and crocheter from an early age (thanks grandma!), Agueda is a technique enthousiast and meddles in weaving, spinning and dying amongst other things. She is currently working on spinning a color wheel of 360 samples.

Agueda is a hands-on helper during the festival. Having been a volunteer for many editions, she will do her best to help the team, vendors, teachers and visitors during the festival.

Knitter and crocheter from an early age (thanks grandma!), Agueda is a technique enthousiast and meddles in weaving, spinning and dying amongst other things. She is currently working on spinning a color wheel of 360 samples.

Proud members of these associations