Design is everywhere — from the built environment to the packaging on our groceries, from elevator music to fanciful public art. But it’s not always easy to define.
“The answer that resonates with me the most is that design is what makes everything cool,” said Eric Weiss, president of the Design Forward Alliance, which organizes San Diego Design Week (SDDW).
Weiss told KPBS last year that design is the way we dress, put our kids’ artwork on the fridge and organize files on our computers or phones. It’s compelling logos, app user interfaces, sidewalks, hiking trails, freeway interchanges and latte art.
“Design is really about creativity, and it’s marrying the art and creative sides of us with the functional side,” Weiss said. “It’s the fashion design, it’s the interior design, it’s the architecture, it’s how we design products.”
San Diego Design Week launched in 2020, spearheaded by Mingei International Museum. Since then, the program has grown to include nearly 75 panels, exhibitions, tours, events, installations, screenings, workshops, activities, lectures and more — most of them free.
Find the full San Diego Design Week 2026 program here.
Here are 15 free events to check out this week:
‘Zandra with a Zed’ Documentary Exclusive Preview
700 Prospect St., La Jolla
The Dazzle Lab: Stencil Design and Rhinestone Workshop
700 Prospect St., La Jolla
Huerta x Huerta Showcase
1038 25th St., San Diego
‘Designing for Everyone’: The History Behind Arts District Liberty Station
2848 Dewey Rd, San Diego
Golden Door Country Store Fall Market
314 Deer Springs Rd, San Marcos
Guided Tour of Murals of La Jolla
1008 Wall St., La Jolla
The We The People Museum Experience
6403 Imperial Avenue, San Diego