I’ll admit that last year, I underestimated just how impressive the programming was for Design Victoria. Lucky residents of Victoria are likely used to seeing the pop-up signs all over the city for various open studios, panel discussions, parties and more—but the team at DV really have created that kind of city-immersive design programming that other design festivals would be envious of.

All of which is to say: it’s absolutely become a don’t-miss event for design buffs. And it’s likely why I saw so many of the Vancouver design community and beyond make the flight or ferry trip over last year.

This year’s festival will feature more than 50 events, from the opening Happy Hour at MGA and launch party at Cantu Bathrooms and Hardware, to a closing movie night on the UVic campus—and plenty of open studios, ask-the-experts and design talks in between. Many events will take place in locations that have been previously off-limits: both Reliance Properties and Cascadia Architects are hosting parties in industrial spaces that back on to the harbour that are on the verge of being redesigned and redeveloped. “I’m always excited to see people getting access to spaces they don’t normally have access to in the city,” says Carla Sorrell, director of Design Victoria, “to get a glimpse of how the city is changing.”

Plus, many of our own Designers of the Year and Design 25 winners will be part of it: Kyla Bidgood, our 2025 Interior Designer of the Year, will deliver an “On the Boards” talk with Alexander Suvajac, our 2024 Landscape Designer of the Year. WL Design 25 winner Mike Randall will be opening up his studio space—set in a garden that had everyone buzzing last year.

That really just scratches the surface of the four-day festival: there are talks at Gabriel Ross’s gorgeous showroom, a walk-and-sketch tour by AFBC, a tour by Rosemead House owner Lenny Moy on how he reimagined the 28-room Edwardian boutique hotel, Puzzle Lab will tour folks behind the scenes of their puzzle production space—and so much more.

Tickets for the launch party are already live; individual events go on sale on April 8. Most are free—you just need to reserve your spot.

Anicka Quin

Anicka Quin

Anicka Quin is the editor-in-chief of Western Living magazine and the VP of Content for Canada Wide Media. If you've got a home design you'd like to share with Western Living, drop her a line at [email protected]