Inside EXPO Design Market 2025: MCASD’s Weekend Celebration of Art, Design, and Culture in La Jolla
EXPO Design Market returns to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego on June 14 and 15, curated by MCASD in collaboration with Mortis Studio and Hotbed. It’s shaping up to be one of the summer’s most compelling cultural weekends. Over two days, MCASD La Jolla will turn into a vibrant gathering place for art lovers, vinyl heads, independent publishers, and creative shoppers. Whether you’re flipping through zines, discovering emerging designers, or catching a DJ set in the courtyard, there’s something to explore at every corner.
And this year, the celebration doesn’t stop at sunset. EXPO After Dark, curated by the same team, is on Saturday night and brings the energy downtown to The Soap Factory in Logan Heights.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Table of contents
A Market That’s More Than a Market
At its core, EXPO Design Market is a two-day pop-up event spotlighting 39 independent vendors from around Southern California. You’ll find everything from small-batch fashion and ceramics to art books, records, and print goods. It’s a chance to meet the people behind the products—designers, artists, publishers, and musicians who are shaping the creative scene across the region.
This year’s confirmed vendors include:
A New Path • AC Books • Burn All Books • Chapter One Records • Crap Eyewear • Danse Haus • Ediciones Caradura • Everybody.World • Fielle • Future Is Color • Goldrat.Io • GRAIL • grantLOVE • GRIN27 • Heavy Manners Library • Home Base • Huerta X Huerta • In The Bagg • Isaguadalupe • Kayge Studio • Keep Earth Around • Kim Navarro Ceramics • Lang Books • Leeann Huang • MEALS Clothing • Muse • Nefelibata • Perro Y Arena • Poppy Press • Pouch • Rei Tionko • Sacred Scraps • Sensitive Cassettes • Society Brewing • Somos Uno • Sunsets And Brainwaves • tenpopo • X Artists’ Books • Yearbook Creative Club
The event is free and open to all ages, with general admission starting at 11 AM on both Saturday and Sunday. MCASD members get early access from 10 to 11 AM, along with bonus perks like complimentary refreshments, vendor discounts, and exclusive giveaways.
DJ Sets, Book Signings, and Film Screenings
Beyond shopping, EXPO Design Market includes a full schedule of music and programming. Both days will feature live DJ sets in MCASD’s Gartner Court, curated by Chapter One Records. Saturday’s lineup includes Max Coletto, Hazy, and Gunnar. Sunday brings back Hazy alongside Max Coletto and Dylan Payne.
MCASD is also hosting a book signing with Ed Templeton on Saturday from 1 to 3 PM for his project Wires Crossed, offering fans a chance to meet the artist and grab a signed copy.
On Sunday, two screenings of Swampy’s Diaries (at 12 PM and 3 PM) will give visitors a glimpse into the life of the elusive graffiti artist, adding a cinematic layer to the weekend experience.
EXPO After Dark: From Museum Courtyard to Warehouse Party
If you’re not ready for the day to end, EXPO After Dark is where things really open up. Co-presented by MCASD and Hotbed, this official afterparty takes place at The Soap Factory in Logan Heights, an artist-run space known for immersive music and visual events.
EXPO After Dark runs from 6 PM to 10 PM on Saturday, June 14, and it’s 21+ only.
The lineup includes:
- Life on Planets
- Lubelski
- Phonetik (a back-to-back DJ set from AMZEL and PTTG)
- Visual installations by Mortis Studio
Expect warehouse energy with museum-quality art direction. There will be food, drinks, merch drops, and opportunities to connect with the same artists, vendors, and creative minds that powered the daytime market.
🎟️ Tickets are available now, with prices ranging from $10 to $40. MCASD members can use a promo code for discounted entry.
Final Word
EXPO Design Market 2025 isn’t just a weekend event—it’s a reflection of San Diego’s creative pulse. With its thoughtful mix of independent design, music, and community energy, this year’s edition brings even more to the table. Whether you spend a few hours browsing booths or dance until 10 PM at The Soap Factory, EXPO is a reminder that La Jolla is more than beautiful beaches—it’s a cultural destination too.
The images in this article were provided courtesy of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.
