Huge design and tech festival to take over abandoned Toronto soap factory

Toronto's going all out to celebrate Canada's sesquicentennial, or its 150th anniversary. Throughout 2017, we'll play host to numerous events and exhibitions, including a brand new festival by the folks at the Design Exchange.

From September 28 to October 8, the Design Exchange will present EDIT, or the Expo for Design, Innovation and Technology at the old Unilever Detergent Factory.

While the abandoned industrial building isn't quite on the scale of the Hearn (which hosted Luminato last year), it should prove to be a unique place to host a major event.

The overall theme is Prosperity for All, and it'll feature pavilions focusing on the ideas of shelter, nourishment, care and education.

"These exhibitions will provide an 'edit' of the most inspiring design, innovation and technology solutions to real-world problems: adequate housing, nutrition, healthcare, and education for all," reads the website.

"The festival will also feature playgrounds, forums, interactive installations, cultural programming - and a fully realized digital platform - that will make every visitor an active participant in this pivotal conversation on prosperity for all."

While 2017 is its inaugural year, EDIT's billed as a biennial festival, meaning we can expect to see it return in two years. The location, however, will likely be different in subsequent iterations of the event.

EDIT will be curated by renowned Canadian designer Bruce Mau and will also feature guest curators. More information will be released closer to the festival.