In 2006, the Melbourne Design Festival theme - glow, will be reflected across over 50 events from 6 to 16 July at Federation Square and venues throughout Melbourne.

Festival events in 2006 include:
(Further details regarding the following events will be online shortly)
- The new design show Under Capricorn
- The 2nd Australian Poster Annual
- The ever-popular design market, ReadyMadeMarket
- Espresso to expressway, an exhibition of non-architecture by Denton Corker Marshall
- An exhibition from the United States in celebration of the design practice of iconic designers Ray and Charles Eames
- Chair Camp, conducted by Carla Hartman, granddaughter of Charles and Ray Eames

The exiciting new PopUps program featuring over 20 events from the design community, including:
- Pixile mobile
- Textiles and Light - Fabric of the Future
- Past + Present + Future
- The Event Box
- The Dynamo Glow Contraption
- ENDEMIC
- ISM Sparks
- Luminosity
- Nocturnal
- Urban Totems
- Birrarung Marr installation
- Zaishu project
- Character 3 - Accidents not so grotesk
- Character 3 Forum
- Outside Inside
- Back 2 Basics
- Trace Elements GPS Drawing Project
- Metropolis book design competition
- we found ourselves extinct
- Communication Benchmark
- Beers 'n Ideas
- Wonderful Schools, a workshop program engaging children in the design of schools
- Conversations of Things New, an exhibition showcasing Australian designers' work for Italian companies
- Studio Open - design studios across Melbourne open to the community
- Speaker Series, a series of forums by leaders in design and creative industries including Eames Demetrios, John Denton, Graeme Murphy, Helen O'Neill
- Festival Slide Nights, informal and personal stories and presentations by members of the design and creative community including Gerard Vaughan, Prue Acton, Linda Jukic and Judith Glover

Design on Toast a series of start-up breakfast forums
Hot House, an intallation, workshop and online forum on design for the environment.

Designer Speed Dating, the fun, efficient and unbinding way to meet and check out designers' credentials by prospective clients.

A free Melbourne Design Festival program will be available in June.

In 2005 , the Melbourne Design Festival was held at Melbourne’s Federation Square and across the city from 08–17 July.