It is difficult to imagine what the ambitious organizers of POP Montreal will think of next. The festival, which began in 2002 as a showcase for live music, has grown to include Film POP, a film festival, Art POP, a series of visual art shows and live multimedia performances, and Puces POP, an art-fair extravaganza. This year the Puces POP segment itself is expanding and will include a trade show with over 100 independent vendors, a fashion show, a series of artist-run workshops and a science fair. Yes, a science fair.

Iris Taborsky-Tasa, the coordinator of this year’s fair, explains her aim for the event.

“Basically, Puces POP is a huge art and craft fair. [But] this year I really wanted to recreate what Puces POP was, and make it a lot more exciting and a lot more interactive … I wanted to broaden the focus on DIY culture. I wanted to incorporate the arts of film and fashion and science and artist-run workshops,” she says.

Of the wide range of workshops being offered Taborsky-Tasa says, “I felt it was very important to have a dialogue created for artists and the public to communicate. A lot of people are interested in learning but they don’t know where the resources are for these kinds of art.” Workshop topics will include leather accessory making, open source website building and printmaking, among others.

This year’s fashion show, Autumn’s Apples, will allow independent designers to showcase their fall wares. Taking place this Saturday, it will start with a 5 á 7 with performances from the band Whipped Crème and members of the dance troupe La La La Human Steps.

The focal point of Puces POP, the two-day trade show, will feature an impressively wide array of artists. Participants include zine makers, soap makers and fashion designers, as well as those offering edible treats. Taborsky-Tasa is proud to explain that, “this year the marketing was stronger so we were able to reach artists from all over the place.”

As for the ingenious and unlikely inclusion of a science fair, that was the brainchild of event organizer Michelle Fritzi Adelman. According to Taborsky-Tasa, “Michelle had this idea that she wanted to recreate this sort of high school feel, or preschool feel, this sense of questioning and wonder and wanting to learn. I think that’s something that a lot of people have forgotten and to be able to bring that to Puces POP, which is a big cultural event, is really exciting.”

All Puces POP events, (except the printmaking workshops), will take place on Oct. 7 and 8 at the Canadian Grenadier Guards Armory (4171 de l’Esplanade, corner of Rachel). More info at puces.POPmontreal.com.