IKEA is hosting its first-ever in-store and online festival – complete with live music

We’ve always known that IKEA was more than just your bog-standard furniture shop, but now we have proof as the popular Swedish conglomerate has just announced plans for their first-ever in-store and online IKEA Festival. 

Due to kick off next Thursday, September 16 at 7 am, organisers have announced a jam-packed line-up of events as part of the festival which will see artists, designers, chefs and DJs open up their homes to the public and turn them into virtual stages. Dedicated to celebrating life at home, it’s something we all appreciate more than ever having spent an inordinate amount of time there over the past few months. 

Sharing her excitement at the announcement, Rosheen Forbes, commercial activities and events leader at IKEA UK and Ireland, described it as a “new kind of experience” all about “celebrating, connecting, and engaging with life at home”.

“By opening the homes of some of the world’s artists, designers, DJs and chefs, we hope this gives new inspiration for how we use and spend time in our most intimate spaces,” she continued. “We want the festival to spark a conversation on how to live a more sustainable and affordable life at home.” And yes, there will be “a few surprises along the way” too. 

All of the action will be housed on the IKEA Festival website, where attendees will be able to meander through various rooms as they reflect on what’s important to them in their own homes – from being with family and friends, to music and food. Running for just 24 hours, the online part of the festival will also feature talks/events from different contributors around the world. So, expect living room concerts, kitchen cook alongs and plenty of home makeover inspiration. 

Spanning more than 100 homes in 50 different countries, there will be plenty happening closer to home too with the Ballymun store announcing a number of in-person events in addition to the online takeovers. 

Go behind the scenes of the factory floor in Zb?szynek, Poland, take a tour of the prototype shop in Älmhult, Sweden or travel back in time to the digital IKEA museum to learn about the brand’s decades-long history; whatever takes your fancy, the team will be there to help. 

The full festival line-up is as follows: 

• My Home Turf – Join artists such as MØ, Kanis, Niki and Masego as they show their cities, neighbourhoods, and communities and treat viewers to a performance.
• Home Concerts – Artists around the world will turn their homes into a stage.
• Home Cooking – Open the door to delicious-smelling kitchens all over the world and be inspired by chefs cooking up old and new favourites. Chefs include Pasta Queen and Paul Svensson.
• DJ Relay – A marathon of club music, straight from the DJ’s own home, with DJs including Kaytranada, Loraine James and Zuli.
• Home Visits – IKEA customers as well as some well-known personalities like Virgil Abloh and Ilse Crawford share what’s inside their homes.
• IKEA Museum – Go back in time and explore everything that has made and shaped IKEA: the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly.
• IKEA News – Meet IKEA co-workers and collaborators from all over the world now – in-store, at the factory, at the office or in the studio, including former collaboration partner Virgil Abloh.
• Home Makeovers – Ideas and guidance for creating better storage, a more cooking-friendly kitchen or simply accessorizing in a fun, vibrant way.
• Kitchen Talks – Join a conversation about the joys and frustrations that make up everyday life at home. IKEA co-workers meet with profiles like surfer Kassia Meador, astronaut Christer Fuglesang and adventurer Renata Chlumska.

The IKEA Festival will run online for 24 hours, while in-person events will take place in the Ballymun Ikea store from September 16-19. Free to attend you can sign up by visiting their event’s page.

Imagery via Ikea