By Matthew Daldalian – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The annual Val-des-Brises Neighbourhood festival turned into both a block party and a political stage Sunday as hundreds filled the streets for food, games and face-to-face time with Quebec’s Liberal leaders.
The community festival, now in its 16th year, closed off roads in the Duvernay district and spilled into Parc du Royal-22e Régiment for a day of music, inflatable games for kids, a small train ride and even a live-horse carousel. Food trucks lined the pavement— including one from Tim Hortons— while local businesses set up booths offering everything from gym memberships to real estate advice.
Organizers billed the event as a way to bring residents together and raise money for community causes. Volunteers in orange shirts oversaw activities while families mingled under late-summer sun. All proceeds from this year’s edition were donated to the Centre de services scolaire de Laval and to the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board Foundation to fund local educational and community projects.
A political showcase
Leader of Quebec’s Liberal party, Pablo Rodriguez used the stop to underline his party’s momentum ahead of the 2026 provincial election. Surrounded by Laval MNAs Virginie Dufour and Sona Lakhoyan Olivier, he praised the grassroots energy on display.
“When you look at all the orange shirts, it’s amazing,” Rodriguez said, pointing to the volunteers staffing the festival. “If all the work done by volunteers had to be paid by the government, we couldn’t do this. Hats off to them.”
Leader of Quebec’s Liberal party, Pablo Rodriguez (center) with Laval MNAs Virginie Dufour (right) and Sona Lakhoyan Olivier (left) on September 14 2025. (Photo: Matthew Daldalian, NewsFirst Multimedia)He told attendees the Liberals are climbing in the polls and cast the event as proof of a party re-energized in Laval.
He told attendees the Liberals are climbing in the polls and cast the event as proof of a party re-energized in Laval.
Dufour, who represents Mille-Îles, said residents are showing new openness after years of frustration with the governing Coalition Avenir Québec. “People are listening. They’re happy to see us. They’re happy to see that the Liberals are back,” she said.
Lakhoyan Olivier, MNA for Chomedey, struck a similar note, saying locals were eager to meet Rodriguez in person. “Whoever sees Pablo, even today, wherever we are, they run to say hello,” she said.
Community front and centre
Still, politics were only one part of the day. Booths from local businesses drew steady traffic from passersby. Victoria Belluscio, representing Orange Theory Laval East, a fitness studio said the festival helps cement ties with residents.
“There’s a lot of energy today,” she said. “We already have a lot of people from Val-des-Brises who come to the gym, so this is just getting more integrated with the community.”
A wheel of prizes at her table offered free classes, week passes and merchandise, attracting curious families and first-time gym-goers.
Victoria Belluscio (right), representing Orange Theory Laval East, a fitness studio said the festival helps cement ties with residents on September 14 2025 (Photo: Matthew Daldalian, Laval News)
Real estate agent Alex Haddou, taking part for the eighth year, said his team sees the event as a chance to give back. “It’s not only about the business. It’s more about community,” he said, recalling past partnerships with local grocers and sports clubs.
Children gravitated to his booth for balloons and other giveaways while parents lined up to ask about the housing market.
A block party feel
Residents described the festival as one of the rare occasions where neighbours from across Val-des-Brises come together on such a scale. Streets were filled with families moving from booth to booth, music echoing over the crowd and the smell of food wafting from the trucks.
Rodriguez, who at one point joked about trying the cannoli on offer, said the chance to share food and conversation is what he values most about the festival. “Meet people, shake hands and try some food,” he said.
The event was organized by Achille Cifelli, municipal councillor for Val-des-Arbres, with all proceeds from this year’s edition going to the Sir Wilfrid Laurier Foundation to fund educational and community projects for local students.
Looking ahead
For Liberals, the festival was an early test of their ability to connect with voters on the ground. Rodriguez positioned his party as a responsible alternative ready to take over in 2026.
“We have to help [small and medium-sized businesses] to become more productive through innovation, through research and development,” he said, tying economic priorities to the family-focused setting of the fair.
But for most who came out, politics were secondary to the sense of neighbourhood belonging. From children laughing on the carousel to parents balancing bags of fried food and drinks, the Fête de quartier de Val-des-Brises again proved itself as Laval’s late-summer block party— one where residents, businesses and politicians share the same street.
