During the week of October 18 – 27, Montclair Design Week (MDW) will present more than 60 events including panels, workshops, walks and talks, a film series, culinary festivities, installations and competitions, all curated to ignite the designer in everyone.
The 2019 programming is inspired by the “unwritten” stories of design and those that have yet to be written, with a focus on how things are made, who they are made by and for, and why it matters.
“Our mission is to celebrate and mobilize our community as a design force for good, through the power of curiosity, innovation, and engagement,” says Petia Morozov, Founder of Montclair Design Week.
Highlights from the week’s diverse programming include:
“Blank Slate” Opening Party (all ages)
October 18, 6:00 pm–10:00 pm
MDW HUB, 10 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair
Montclair Design Week will kick off the week of events with food, drink, and an invitation to tell the tale of the town you love, Mad Libs style! The MDW HQ’s walls will be a “blank slate” that you can fill in with your writing, doodles, and drawings of your stories, discoveries, and possibilities for what our future holds. Make your mark!
Along Toney’s Brook: 2 Mini-Expeditions
(ages 12+, accompanied by adult)
October 19, 12:00–4:00 pm
PART 1: 12:00 PM (Anderson Park)
PART 2: 2:00 PM (Rand Park)
Follow fabled Toney’s Brook with members of SPURSE, the ecological design collective. This is a remarkable chance to understand Montclair from the inside as we walk the brook from end to end. Join us for one or both parts of this unique adventure. You will get wet and do some spelunking. Must wear appropriate dress and footwear. Host: Iain Kerr (SPURSE Research and Design Collective)
“Designing Our Next Mayor” Roundtable and Brainstorm (all ages)
October 20, 7:00 pm–9:00 pm
Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship, Montclair State University, Montclair
A provocative evening, bringing together diverse figures in the worlds of politics, marketing and film, for the bold goal of designing Montclair’s next mayoral candidate with the audience.
Moderators: Julie Harris (Riverbend Coaching) and Michael Hill (NJTV).
Panelists: Mollie Binnotto (Emily’s List), David Cruz (NJTV News), Julia Martin (Gannett Newspapers), Steven McCarthy (Montclair State University).
“Toward a New Montclair Story” Competition (all ages)
October 20, 10:00 am–4:00 pm
MDW Hub, 10 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair
For the first time, MDW is offering a platform our community can use to rewrite the stories of our challenges and to co-shape visions of a future we’d like for Montclair. This six-hour, publicly held competition will be emceed and high-energy! Teams are going head-to-head, “Chopped style,” developing their proposals into visualizations that will be presented to a diverse panel of community allies. Team proposals remain on display in the Hub until October 27, the day the public gets to decide which idea will be put into action with a $1,000 grant from the Awesome Foundation.
George To The Rescue of Design (all ages)
October 21, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
MDW Hub, 10 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair
NBC host and contractor George Oliphant takes us behind the scenes of his show “George To The Rescue” with two local projects, featuring top designers and contractors who’ve teamed up to help deserving families and communities with much needed home renovations. Through inspiring stories of overcoming challenges, this uplifting evening highlights the best of the human spirit.
An Evening with Ben Uyeda (all ages)
October 24, 7:30 – 9:00 pm
MDW Hub, 10 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair
This year’s featured speaker is a designer, TedX presenter, and influencer who is democratizing the world of responsible, eco-friendly design. Ben Uyeda founded HomeMade Modern, an online platform that is bringing design to the masses—it has more than a million subscribers. His talk will cover his “trickle-up design” idea as well as his most recent projects, including an off-the-grid shipping container home in the California desert. The talk will be followed by a discussion with MDW Founder Petia Morozov and a Q&A with our audience.
“Sup-Culture” Communal Dinner
October 24, 7:00–8:30 pm
The Annex, 22 Frink St., Montclair
A multi-sensory experimental dinner crafted by some of Montclair’s foragers, designers, artisans, and chefs! The chefs will invent meals from the food that’s locally foraged and from local products, artisans will bring the dinnerware they’ve made, the community will help cook, plate, and serve, and the evening will be “blessed” by award-winning author and designer Madeline Schwartzman (See Yourself Sensing: Redefining Human Perception, Vols. 1 and 2). Come out and enjoy what promises to be a unique collaborative design event!
“Drink In Design” Bar Crawl & Cocktail Contest
Bar Crawl, October 11 – October 20,
Contest, October 24
Celebrate the art of mixology by visiting local Montclair bars and restaurants that are participating in the Montclair Design Week cocktail contest and vote for your favorite drink, take a photo of it, tag it with the bar’s name, and post your photo on social media with the hashtag #MDWDAC. “Drink In Design” will culminate with a live final mix-off on October 24th at The Annex, 22 Frink St. 5:30 –7:00 pm. Bartenders and mixologists from our top bars and restaurants will be challenged to craft an original cocktail that features an ingredient local to Montclair, and a panel of expert judges will present a $500 prize to the winner. Tickets are $25, with proceeds going to Montclair Design Week. Entry includes complimentary cocktails and light appetizers. 21 and Over.
Redesigning Design (all ages)
October 25, 7:30–9:30 pm
Room 101 (Auditorium), Feliciano School of Business, Montclair State University
The once specialized field of design has rapidly evolved into a democratic practice, encompassing everything from starting social revolutions to shaping ecosystems and transforming communities. Join vanguard leaders across disciplines for a wide-ranging discussion on design’s multiple futures, and our roles therein.
Moderator: Iain Kerr (MIX Lab at Montclair State University). Panelists: Carley Graham Garcia (Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship), Liz Barry (Public Lab)
Judging Books, Designing Covers (ages 14+)
October 25, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Watchung Booksellers, 54 Fairfield St., Montclair
Can a book cover start a revolution or alter our senses? Join three internationally recognized book designers as they unpack the potential of the book cover to be an experimental space of design.
Moderator: Margot Sage-El (Watchung Booksellers). Panelists: Janet Hansen (Knopf), Katie Klimowicz (Macmillan Children’s), Jordan Wannemacher (Studio Jordan Wannemacher)
FLYBY Day – For The Love of Youth By Youth
October 26 – Venues around Montclair
A jam-packed Saturday of events that are designed, as the acronym suggests, “For the Love of Youth, By Youth!” Two scavenger hunts, nature walks, workshops, and more to spark curiosity in children and families – 10 events in all. Visit www.montclairdesignweek.org for the full schedule of events.
Create Your Own Fluid-Style Fashion (all ages)
October 27, 2:30–4:30 pm
Montclair Mills Parking Lot, 7 Oak Place, Montclair
Designers guide you in making a garment that expresses who you are without being constrained by gender stereotypes. All experience levels welcome. Materials, equipment provided. The workshop will be followed by a fashion show, where you can flaunt your design!
Come display your fashion designs, and support, celebrate, and expand the community that’s dressing without gender constraints. There’s a place for you here! You can showcase a design you made at the preshow workshop, walk the runway, or cheer on the revolution. Whatever you do, wear your favorite outfit to the show!
Rewritten Block Party
October 27, 2:00–6:00 pm
Montclair Mills Parking Lot, 7 Oak Place, Montclair
In true community style, Montclair Design Week wraps up its more than 60 events with a blowout block party! In the parking lot of Montclair Mills—one of the most creative hubs for entrepreneurs, makers, and designers in town—the activity lineup is sure to attract a large crowd, young and old, from north and south, east and west. Kicking off the party is the JazzHouse Kids brass band, leading a second line dancing parade through the neighborhood. Then swap out your dancing shoes for roller skates and take a spin around the MDW rink! You can also check out demos by Downshifters and Java Compost; an over-the-top fashion show, fluid style; toasty fire pits; face and pumpkin painting; and the contagious tunes spun by BlissedOut Beats. Food and beverage vendors, too. Bring the whole family
The complete MDW events schedule and online registration is online at www.montclairdesignweek.org. Most events are free, and discounted tickets will be available to students and seniors.