PaintDemonium 2026 brings competition, community, and Best of Show to Lambersart

PaintDemonium 2026 turned Salle Malraux in Lambersart into a compact target for serious miniature painters, with a full Sunday of judging, shared hobby energy, and a Best of Show prize for the highest-scoring piece across all categories. The one-day format mattered: entries were accepted in advance, painters could still register on site in the morning, and the event ran from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, giving competitors a straight-through window to bring display pieces, squad entries, or experimental projects before the judges.

Les Canonniers, the Lambersart club behind the event, has built its reputation around historical and fantasy figure work, and the city of Lambersart describes PaintDemonium as the only French competition dedicated to fantasy miniatures. The club also connects the contest to a larger historical figure exhibition, which gave the day a broader scope than a standard painting competition. Michel Formentel, the club president, has long been the public face of that effort, and the group’s local rhythm remains very visible: meetings on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, with August off, plus a 20 euro annual membership fee and free discovery visits for newcomers.

The 2026 edition also showed how tightly organized local contests can reward commitment without locking painters into a full convention weekend. Pre-registration ran through April 20, juniors under 16 entered free, and the fee structure lowered the barrier for people bringing several pieces at once. That setup encouraged not just top-table display entries, but also the kind of bench-to-competition leap many painters make when they want real judging feedback before stepping up to larger events.

This was also a show with history behind it. The 2024 PaintDemonium was the 15th edition, and it marked the return of an event that had been away for four years because of Covid and lockdowns. Michel Formentel had already signaled the comeback at a 2023 interclub event, and by 2026 the municipality had confirmed the date back at Salle Malraux, underscoring how firmly the contest remained tied to Lambersart’s local hobby scene.

The challenge side of the event added another layer of incentive. Competitors who entered at least three pieces could receive a Nurgle bust created by Philippe Marxer, while the 2026 challenge theme was Pirates. A separate Canonnières challenge used a Centurion Miniatures semi-relief tortoise, giving the day a sponsor-linked, build-and-paint dimension that kept painters engaged beyond the main judging table. For a community that values both craftsmanship and rivalry, PaintDemonium delivered exactly the kind of short, concentrated competition that can still shape a painter’s year.