Fresha Returns as Mega Sponsor of HAIRFEST with a Star-Studded Global Lineup
THESSALONIKI, Greece, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresha, the world's leading AI-powered booking platform for beauty and wellness, is bringing some of the biggest names in international barbering to Thessaloniki this October as it returns as Mega Sponsor of HAIRFEST 2026 for the second consecutive year.
Taking place from 17–19 October at the I. Vellidis Convention Center, HAIRFEST powered by Fresha will be bigger, louder and more international than ever before, bringing together thousands of hair and barbering professionals from across Europe for three days of live shows, education and creative showcases. The stage programme will feature talent from across Europe and beyond, including Mihai Mares, Kasia Fortuna, Andrea Magri, Kristina Fedorova, Los Cut It and Stanley Liao, alongside leading Fresha ambassadors Yadiel "Arod" Rodriguez, MENSPIRE co-founder Josh Lamonaca and Gradient founder Thaddeus Jayaseelan.
Arod, Jayaseelan, Lamonaca and Magri will each take to the HAIRFEST stage, bringing some of the techniques, ideas and education shaping modern barbering to a live European audience.
Fresha's return comes amid major growth across its global barbering community, with active barber partners using the platform increasing 108% year on year from 2025 to 2026. Alongside that growth, Fresha has built an increasingly influential presence within the industry itself, working with leading barbers, educators, academies and businesses while investing in major barbering events around the world.
From HairCon in the UK and Toronto Barbers Expo in Canada to HAIRFEST in Greece, Fresha is building a global barbering and hairdressing community that extends far beyond its technology. Its growing ambassador network brings together some of the profession's leading barbers, educators, academy founders and entrepreneurs across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Australasia. At HAIRFEST, Fresha will stand alongside some of the biggest names in professional hair and beauty, with L'Oréal Professionnel, BaBylissPRO, Moroccanoil, Schwarzkopf Professional, Panasonic and Wahl Professional among the brands supporting this year's programme.
"HAIRFEST represents exactly the kind of industry environment we want Fresha to be part of," said William Zeqiri, Founder and CEO of Fresha. "Beauty and wellness has become an incredibly global community. The people shaping the industry are building audiences across borders, teaching internationally and constantly exchanging ideas with one another. Bringing some of that talent together in Thessaloniki is what makes HAIRFEST so exciting, and we're incredibly proud to return as Mega Sponsor for a second year."
HAIRFEST returns for its fourth anniversary in 2026 under the theme GO BEYOND, with an international programme spanning modern barbering and hairdressing. Bringing together artists, educators, salon owners and barbers from across Europe and beyond, the event reflects an increasingly global industry where techniques, trends and education move rapidly between markets and leading professionals are building audiences far beyond their home countries.
"There's a completely different energy when you're working live in front of other barbers," said Yadiel "Arod" Rodriguez, Fresha Global Ambassador. "Everyone in that room understands the craft, so you can really push what you're doing and show the thinking behind the finished result. Coming to Thessaloniki and sharing a stage with artists from different parts of the world is what makes events like HAIRFEST special. You're there to show your own work, but you're also there to watch, learn and take something away from everyone around you. I started cutting hair in my parents' garage in Puerto Rico with a clipper I bought with my lunch money. Bringing that story to a stage like HAIRFEST, in front of barbers from all over the world, means a lot to me. I'm closing Day 1, and I promise it's going to feel like a party."
Education will sit at the heart of Fresha's presence throughout the weekend. Its ambassador community includes professionals working not only behind the chair, but across education, academies and business. MENSPIRE, co-founded by Josh Lamonaca, has built an international education network around modern men's hair, while Gradient founder Thaddeus Jayaseelan has built his own reputation around technical education and the development of the next generation of barbers.
"Education is one of the things that keeps barbering moving forward," said Jayaseelan. "You can spend years developing your own approach, but putting yourself around other great artists immediately opens up a different way of thinking. HAIRFEST brings together people who might normally be working thousands of miles apart and gives us the chance to exchange that knowledge properly. That same sense of community is why I work so closely with Fresha. It's the only platform I use and, for me, the only one I'd want to use."
That focus on international education and collaboration will run throughout this year's HAIRFEST programme, with artists from across the hair and barbering industry taking to the stage throughout the three-day event.
"This year's HAIRFEST is going to be our biggest and most international yet, and having Fresha return as Mega Sponsor is a huge part of that," said George Xidaseli, CEO and Founder of HAIRFEST. "We're bringing incredible artists and educators from around the world to Thessaloniki for three days that are really about pushing the industry forward. The energy around this year's event is already building, and we can't wait to welcome everyone in October."
"GO BEYOND is about raising the bar again for what people can expect from HAIRFEST," said Stefanos Polizos, Executive Director of HAIRFEST. "Across three days, we'll have live shows, education and some of the most exciting talent in hair and barbering all under one roof. Having Fresha back as Mega Sponsor allows us to make this year's event even more ambitious and create an experience that brings the international industry together here in Thessaloniki."
The event marks Fresha's second consecutive year as Mega Sponsor and the latest chapter in its growing investment in global barbering. With active barber partners more than doubling year on year, an expanding international ambassador community and partnerships with some of the industry's major events, Fresha is strengthening its position at the heart of the global barbering industry.
HAIRFEST powered by Fresha 2026 – GO BEYOND takes place from 17–19 October 2026 at the I. Vellidis Convention Center in Thessaloniki, Greece.
About Fresha
Fresha is the world's leading AI-powered booking platform for beauty and wellness, trusted by over 130,000 partner businesses across more than 120 countries. Its fully integrated ecosystem spans scheduling, payments, marketing, team management, and a global consumer marketplace, giving beauty and wellness businesses everything they need to operate, grow, and scale. The Fresha Marketplace connects millions of consumers with salons, spas, barbershops, and wellness studios worldwide, with over one million monthly downloads and more than $1.4 billion in monthly transaction value. To learn more, visit fresha.com.
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