By Panchali Illankoon 

As the Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) returns for its 16th edition this November, they are highlighting Colombo and its rich history, culture, creativity and design under the theme ‘What’s Your Colombo?’. Conceptualised and presented by the Academy of Design (AOD) and hosted by Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, SLDF 2025 aims to be a citywide movement to position Colombo as South Asia’s next world-class creative capital. 

Having run a successful #WhatsYourColombo storytelling campaign, SLDF 2025 introduces its next phase – Experience Colombo, a citywide activation to turn the capital into a living stage connecting creativity, culture and commerce through curated experiences.  The campaign is designed to activate local business ecosystems and drive economic value to the participating collaborators, and also strengthen the cultural connections people have to the city. 

From 14 to 22 November, over 60 Colombo Collaborators, consisting of restaurants, boutiques, galleries and hotels, will put the spotlight on Colombo by hosting events, curating tailored experiences and offering special offers and rewards that are accessible to the public through the SLDF Experience Colombo Passport.

Experience Colombo Passport

Launching today until 22nd November 2025, the Experience Colombo Passport is a curated city guide that connects the public to 60+ Colombo Collaborators to gain access to a range of tours, experiences, fashion, food and art across Colombo, as well as the opportunity to cash in some great discounts and rewards through the passport. 

How does it work? Participants joining the experience can visit the SLDF website to find the nearest location where they can pick up their physical Experience Colombo Passport. Passport available at 38 locations across the city, including Colombo Innovation Tower and Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams. Once collected, that’s where the fun begins. Inside the passport, a QR code will direct participants to an online directory of Colombo Collaborators, organised by category (art, food, drink, fashion and privileges), listing out what experiences, gastronomy or rewards are in store with each Collaborator.  Visit these Collaborators, collect as many stamps as possible, and once the city journey has been completed on 22nd November, participants can check in at the festival to be rewarded. 

Here are some of our favourite picks from the Experience Colombo Passport: 

Art and Culture
Kicking off a series of artful encounters across the city, join an exclusive Art Tour with Anoma Wijewardene, one of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated contemporary artists, as she guides a small, pre-registered group of 20 participants through her permanently exhibited works at Fairway Colombo, then hop over to the Bayleaf Gallery to catch “Shifting Perspectives” by Pradeep Jayatunga, curated by Sadev Wittachy.  For those looking to create, join Urban Sketchers Colombo at the Colombo Rowing Club for a sketch meet and capture the city in real time. Enjoy a stroll through Colombo’s art scene with curated gallery walks at Saskia Fernando Gallery and CoCA – Collective of Contemporary Artists, or a curated photo walk through Slave Island led by Streets of Colombo.

Colombo on a Plate
Discover Colombo through its flavours by hopping across some of the city’s best cafés and restaurants. Dive into Ministry of Crab’s signature mud crab and freshwater prawn dishes, dip into spiced cuttlefish curry with cheesy egg roti at Kolamba Kade, feast on a curated plate and cocktails pairing at Ceylon Curry Club and pop by for the famous smoked mackerel mousse with ambarella jelly at GINI. End on a sweet note with Chayhane Turkish Café & Bistro’s Yufka Special or a slice of The Cake Factory’s decadent Colombo Surprise.

The Colombo Cocktail
It’s not just the food scene in Colombo that’s abuzz; the city’s mixologists are also stirring up something exciting. A night at Kampong, Colombo’s newest speakeasy, for a curated cocktail menu inspired by the city’s architecture and history or Shoulders for a cocktail tasting menu. Try signature creations from Love Bar, Bayleaf, Monsoon and Coco Bar. 

The Colombo Closet 
As SLDF 2025 and MBFW get runway ready, style the city your way with the passport. Enjoy exclusive discounts across some of Colombo’s favourite fashion destinations such as FMLK – Fashionmarket, Urban Island, FROKME Boutique and more. 

Colombo Privileges and Rewards
Enjoy exclusive perks with discounts across dining, shopping and lifestyle. From indulging in self-care at Noeline’s, Ramani Fernando Salons or FlexStudio, shopping at Seyln’s and at the Good Market, to dining offers at Department of Coffee, The Bavarian, Sober Social Colombo, Kang’s and much more. 

Experience Colombo Passport holders with 10 or more Collaborator stamps can present their passport at the Experience Colombo Counter at  Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams on 22 November at 11.30 a.m., and the first 30 passports will receive two exclusive invites to The Colombo Edit runway show on 23 November at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Sri Lanka (MBFW). 

With over 60+ collaborators, curated experiences and citywide rewards, Experience Colombo turns the capital into a living festival of design, discovery and celebration that’s worth experiencing first-hand – with the stamps to prove it! 

The Experience Colombo Passport is available today till 22nd November at 38 locations across the city. 

 For more details on the Experience Colombo Passport and where to pick one up, visit www.srilankadesignfestival.lk/colombo-passport-pickup. For more information on the Collaborators, visit www.srilankadesignfestival.lk/colombo-passport.