The Second Annual Marketplace of the Future DC!

Greetings!! After 9 consecutive years running during Climate Week NYC, MOTF is back for our SECOND annual event in DC!

First time here? Well, The Marketplace of the Future is a new take on the 1939 New York World’s Fair, which was dubbed “The World of Tomorrow” and featured new inventions such as the fluorescent light bulb, air-conditioning, and television.

We're here to show climate solutions in the same light - novel now, normal soon.

The 2026 MOTFxDC Activities Include:

Climate Solution ExhibitorsPanel DiscussionsLive JazzWorkshopsYummy drinksPlant-based food

As we assemble the 2026 program, check out our 2025 DC highlights (full 2026 program coming soon!)

Exhibition Hall: Dozens of exhibitors showcasing a spectrum of climate solutions from vegan ice cream, to circular fashion, to satellites beaming solar energy from space! Panel Discussions: Past speakers include inspiring leaders like Seth Godin, orgs like Project Drawdown, and youth leaders like Queer Brown Vegan. Check below for the DC line-up!Networking Opportunities: Engage a room of hundreds of peers, start-up professionals, designers, educators, students, and potential collaborators during our day-long event.Sustainable Fashion Show with the Black Oak CollectiveLive Music: The climate vibe will be elevated by smooth jazz being played all-day.Food and Drinks: The Marketplace of the Future strives to keep the vibes and camaraderie high. Enjoy a selection of conscious alcoholic and n/a beverages.Zero-Waste Stations: Marketplace of the Future is ensuring all of our waste is either reused, donated, recycled, or composted, sending little to nothing to landfill. Expect to find “circularity guides” at each waste station to help you sort and return your items properly.

Panel Room Schedule

Noon - Doors Open1pm - 2pm Panel 1: Fireside chat with Downtown DC Business Improvement District - Demystifying local climate agendas

Valencia Long, Downtown DC BIDMark Haver, Blue Green GenerationKristy Drutman, Brown Girl Green (Moderator)

2pm - 3pm Panel 2: Next Level Data Viz for Climate Action Imagine having the breadth of climate data and recommendations visualized into concise charts. This conversation will explore the incredible Systems Change Lab, co-convened by World Resources Institute and The Bezos Earth Fund. We'll learn how to use this data as a valuable leverage point for different stakeholders. Panelists include:

Mallory Cannon, UN Global CompactJohn Schwabish, Urban InstituteTappan Parker, World Resources InstituteIsabela Barriga, World Resources InstituteModerated by Jacob Simon

3pm - 4pmWe'll take a break from 3-4pm for our classroom-style data visualization workshop with Flourish. To attend see the checkbox when you register for your ticket!

4pm - 5pm Panel 3: Narrative Power: Who Controls the Story of Nature? Reclaiming Imagination, Shaping LegislationThis session explores the critical role of storytelling in shaping environmental policy, reclaiming public imagination, and sustaining momentum in climate justice. From viral campaigns to congressional testimonies, we’ll explore how strategic communications can cut through political noise, influence lawmakers, and mobilize communities. We’ll also examine what’s next: How can creatives, scientists, and advocates work together to make nature impossible to ignore?

Melissa Jun Rowley – Climate Justice Columnist, Filmmaker, Advisor, Creatives for ClimateJuliette Richey – COO, Picture MotionDr. Deborah Brosnan – Marine Scientist, Policy AdvisorBen Jealous – Executive Director, Sierra Club Rev. Lennox Yearwood – President & CEO, Hip Hop Caucus

5pm - 6pmWe'll take a break from 5-6pm for our second classroom-style data visualization workshop with Flourish. To attend see the checkbox when you register for your ticket!

6pm - 7pm The Future We Seed: Black wellness, eco justice, visionary living. A collaboration between Project Drawdown Stories' Matt Scott and Black Girl Environmentalist.

Matt Scott, Director, Storytelling and engagement Project DrawdownKehmari Norman, Founder, BLK FLWR MRKTDestiny Hodges, Founder, Generation GreenAshley Walker, Social Media Manager, Climate Reality Project

7pm - 8pm“Seeds of Sovereignty” x Sustainability DefinedThis live podcast and screening event will merge documentary storytelling with sustainability advocacy, fostering a critical conversation about food sovereignty, biodiversity, and cultural resilience. In partnership with Sustainability Defined, the event will feature the director of Seeds of Sovereignty and Pax Natura’s Founder alongside the podcast hosts in a dynamic discussion interwoven with clips from the film. The conversation will explore the environmental, political, and cultural stakes of Mexico’s fight to protect its native corn against genetically modified crops and industrial agriculture, positioning this issue within the broader climate and sustainability movement.

8pm - 8:30pmStandup Comedy with Kasha Patel

8:30 - 10:00Sustainable Fashion Show with Black Oak CollectiveJoin BlackOak Collective for a one-of-a-kind fashion experience where sustainability meets storytelling, and creativity meets climate action.

Spring Return: Second Bloom is not just a show — it’s a movement. Through bold, upcycled fashion and circular design, we’re reimagining what we wear, what we waste, and what we value. Every look you’ll see on the runway is made from reclaimed materials, styled by emerging creatives, and rooted in themes of Revival, Reclamation, and Resilience.

Film Screenings:

We're still onboarding new and exciting films! Check back for the full lineup. The official screening times will be emailed within two days of the event so you can plan your trip :)

AFTER CORONAVIRUS ~ NO PLANET BGuardians of the Green HeartWater is Love: Ripples of RegenerationDiscardedThe Last GardenSolidarity Ride: Convergence, Resurgence, Healing & Justice

Exhibitors:

http://www.advanced.solarhttp://www.alisyversonart.comhttps://www.allpabars.com/https://www.blackoakcollective.org/http://www.bluefilter.ps/enhttp://www.craftswithmeaning.org/http://www.documentariesdontwork.comhttp://www.dandelionfoodscapes.com/http://www.femmefataledc.com/http://www.forcesfornature.com/https://www.futurecoalitionfoundation.org/fiscal-sponsorship/http://www.greenjobsboard.ushttps://www.hellojackalo.com/https://www.justicetea.com/http://www.kashapatel.comhttp://www.loadingbag.comhttp://www.linktr.ee/pstravelstorieshttp://www.palomavintagedesigns.comhttp://www.peaceboat-us.orghttps://www.plugzen.ushttp://www.refashionshow.comhttp://www.remake.worldhttp://www.rworldreuse.com/http://www.sustainably.so/http://www.sustainablefashionweek.us/http://www.tfl.energyhttp://www.thelittlebrownbird.filmhttp://www.togogreen.ecohttps://www.upcyclecrc.org/http://www.wck.orghttp://www.wasted.earth/https://www.drawdown.orghttp://www.thecoffeeelf.comhttp://www.alisyversonart.comhttps://www.futurecoalitionfoundation.org/fiscal-sponsorship/

DC Climate Week is not responsible for this event. It is organized by the organizing group, and being listed on the DCCW calendar is not an endorsement of content or partners.

Fin.... 😘