Boston, MA - Boston Design Week, a 12-day citywide design festival, returns for its fifth year April 4 – April 15, 2018 featuring a dazzling array of programs and events across the design spectrum. This year’s theme is “Now, New, Next!” which highlights current, new, and future design in all design arenas. All programs, events and exhibitions are open to the public and most are free of charge, but most require an RSVP. The full calendar of events is now available at www.BostonDesignWeek.com.

Boston Design Week launches Wednesday, April 4 with five kick-off events in five different locations. Join Room & Board in the Back Bay for a buzz building tastemakers panel, or a party with Boston magazine in the Seaport for their annual “Top Places to Live” issue launch. In the Fenway, the Museum of Fine Arts is free after 4:00pm. If you can’t make it into town, Cumar Marble & Granite hosts a panel full of experts on building in the New England climate at their showroom in Everett, and the new MetroWest Design Center celebrates with an evening of drinks, demonstrations, and design seminars from ten design-related business. All kick-off events are free.

On Friday, April 6, Boston Design Week teams up with First Friday in SoWa Boston's Art + Design District, one of the largest concentrations of design businesses and galleries in the country. On Friday, April 6, from 5-9pm more than 200 artists, art galleries, design showrooms and one-of-a-kind boutiques open their doors to the public for an celebratory evening of art, culture and inspiration. Meet the artists in their studios, stroll from gallery to gallery to see the latest exhibitions, discover new trends in design, home furnishings, textiles, jewelry and more. There is plenty of inexpensive parking and restaurants nearby, so make a night of it. RSVP here: sowa-first-friday.eventbrite.com 

Events take place throughout the city and Greater Boston. In the Seaport, Boston Society of Architects (BSA) hosts panelists from the planning, design, and development communities. Using Imagine Boston 2030 as a framework, the panel addresses how parts of the city’s vision for the future can be achieved using more inclusive and equitable practices to shape the built environment. The Concord Museum is hosting an ongoing exhibition “Fresh Goods” on the shopping habits of New England residents from the 1700-1900s. In Norwell, Snow & Jones, Inc holds a “Lunch and Learn” focused on the kitchen and bath industry, attendees also have the chance to paint their own tiles. In Norwood, Bronze Sponsors European Granite + Marble host two opportunities for a hard hat tour of their new 90,000 sq. foot showroom and reveal their plans for the future.

The Boston Design Center and the Innovation + Design Building return as a Bronze Sponsor and a number of events take place on site throughout the week. Jewett Farms + Co. and Northshore Home host a lunch and discussion that brings together local experts in sustainable residential design and will focus on creating sustainable heirloom houses. On Wednesday, April 11th, Neoscape leads a hands-on workshop titled “Fuel Your Creative Engine.” The workshop will focus on inspiring creativity within teams and finding new, fresh perspectives. Also on Wednesday, join Artaic for a unique tour of Boston’s Seaport district after a mosaic demonstration as part of The Mosaic Seaport Sampler.

Twenty-four organizations, colleges, museums, and the City of Boston serve as Non-Profit Partners for Boston Design Week. These include AIGA Boston Chapter, Beyond Walls, the Boston Landmarks Commission, Boston Makers, Designers Lighting Forum, Fenway Alliance, Institute for Human Centered Design, Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, Scandinavian Cultural Center, YouthBuild Boston, and others.

Design Week culminates with AD20/21 HOME & The Boston Print Fair. The 4-day show and sale also hosts the closing programs of Boston Design Week. The April 12th Gala Preview and Opening Night of AD20/21 HOME will benefit the American Society of Interior Designers New England Chapter (ASIDNE) Scholarship Fund. The 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Maurice N. Finegold, FAIA, Principal of Finegold Alexander Architects. Gala attendees will enjoy fine food, live music, wine & beer, and be the first to see and shop the show. www.AD2021Home.com

All Boston Design Week programs are open to the public, and most are free of charge, but many do require an RSVP to attend. For more information or to receive the Boston Design Week newsletter and calendar of events, visit www.BostonDesignWeek.com. Follow along on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bostondesignweek , Twitter @BosDesignWeek, or Instagram @BostonDesignWeek.