It's that time of year again -- DesignPhiladelphia is taking over the city, highlighting the cleverest creative work from around Philadelphia. The theme for the 2013 incarnation is "Experience Design," with 115 events taking place between October 10 and 18. 

"Design can spark emotions," explains DesignPhiladelphia director Hilary Jay. "It can invoke memories. It can create connections. Design serves as a thread that runs through everything: the way the food is on your plate, how you get up in the morning and do your hair, the bicycle you ride, the bike path you ride on. Everything we touch, see, hear, smell and taste is designed." 

Opening night is going to be an epic shindig at bahdeebahdu, a multidisciplinary design studio on American Street in Kensington, featuring something for all those senses. There will be exotic food tastings, an olfactory experience dubbed "GhostFood," an interactive light projection, music and a body art display.

There will also be an after-party nearby at American Street Station, a newly repurposed historic PECO station. On the first floor, three nationally known furniture designers who happen to live in the area will set up a showroom. 

"There's a really strong creative, innovative community here that isn't necessarily obvious all year round," says Jay. "Philadelphia is full of gems and places that people don't know exist -- places like bahdeebahdu, the Philadelphia Sculpture Gym or Globe Dye Works -- all these funky places. Attendees will get a backdoor view of graphic design firms, architecture firms and interior design firms. People will have access to things they normally wouldn't have access to." 

Accessibility is a continuing goal. "There are a lot of people who didn't grow up -- or don't feel comfortable -- going into galleries or museums," explains Jay. "It's off-putting to them. I think that part of what is great about Philadelphia is that it is sort of a big small town, and there's a lot to experience. [With the festival], they can access things, mostly for free, and the barrier to entry to really low."

Thanks to the inclusive vibe, some unlikely suspects are getting into the act. The Philadelphia Museum of Art and IKEA have partnered with Public Workshop out of the Department of Making + Doing on an interactive project. The Museum's next show features work by Fernand Léger, including his masterpiece the "The City." Three teams will head to IKEA, pick materials and build dimensional models inspired by the painting. Viewers will vote online for their favorite interpretation.

Of course, the real project on display is the ever-evolving city of Philadelphia.

"Years ago, The New York Times said Philadelphia was becoming the sixth borough of New York," recalls Jay. "It just ticks me off. Frankly, I think we are our own place. I think we are very different. And we have the goods to show it, and that's what DesignPhiladelphia does. Makes it visible -- makes the invisible, visible."

DesignPhiladelphia runs October 10-18. Click here for a complete listing of events. 

LEE STABERT is managing editor of Flying Kite.