Seattle Design Festival: 2024 WHAT IF?

The Seattle Design Festival (SDF), formerly known as Design in Public, was founded in 2011 to celebrate all the ways that design makes life better for Seattle, and to nurture relationships among multidisciplinary designers, civic leaders, business innovators, community organizers, educators, artists, and activists.

Through a broad range of events developed by our community partners, we are able to engage a diverse cross-section of the people that live, work, and play in our city. SDF believes that design is for everyone, and its benefits should be accessible, intersectional, and informed by a diverse public.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT AT SDF: 2024 WHAT IF?   

We are thrilled to invite you to join us for 6 days of transformative programming, all designed to unleash the design thinker in everyone and to build more equitable and thriving communities through design. Mark your calendar- save the date- and ask yourself WHAT IF? we can all harness the power of design? 

Festival Highlights

SDF Block Party @ Lake Union Park Kick off the Festival with our Block Party on August 17 and 18! This fun outdoor event is an opportunity for the design community and the public to come together and interact through large-scale design installations and design activities, all centered around the Festival’s 2024 theme, WHAT IF? Attendance is free, so bring your friends and family!

Design Mixers Join us after the Block Party as we travel to other areas of the city, to build community and celebrate interdisciplinary design at our Design Mixers. Experience how design can bring people together and inspire positive change. 

Mainstage This year the Block Party is expanding to include a mainstage featuring performances, talks, and demonstrations. Can’t make it in person? No problem! Our Mainstage will digitally broadcast as a Virtual Mainstage – so that you can engage with the Festival from anywhere and be part of the conversation. 

Closing Party Join us on August 22 as we celebrate the close of the 2024 Festival with a memorable Closing Party. Reflect on the innovative ideas explored and raise a glass to the connections made throughout the week. 

Be part of our vibrant community of designers, thinkers, and innovators as we explore the possibilities of design with the prompt: WHAT IF?We look forward to seeing you there and sharing in this inspiring journey! 

WHERE WILL THE 2024 SEATTLE DESIGN FESTIVAL BE HELD?

We are excited to offer both in-person and remote engagements at SDF 2024: WHAT IF?, to help all of our community find their way to celebrate!

This year the Block Party will be held at Lake Union Park on August 17 & 18 from 10am-7pm. We’ll also be hosting four in-person social events via our Design Mixers and Closing Party. These events will be hosted in SLU, the Central District, and Downtown.

If you are unable to join us in person at the Park you can join us remotely for the Virtual Mainstage, which will rescreen Mainstage programs via the SDF YouTube Channel on August 20 & 21.