A system and method for enabling highly scalable multi-node event distribution networks through the use of summary-based routing, particularly event distribution networks using a content-based publish/subscribe model to distribute information. By allowing event routers to use imprecise summaries of the subscriptions hosted by matcher nodes, an event router can eliminate itself as a bottleneck thus improving overall event distribution network throughput even though the use of imprecise summaries results in some false positive event traffic. False positive event traffic is reduced by using a filter set partitioning that provides for good subscription set locality at each matcher node, while at the same time avoiding overloading any one matcher node. Good subscription set locality is maintained by routing new subscriptions to a matcher node with a subscription summary that best covers the new subscription. Where event space partitioning is desirable, an over-partitioning scheme is described that enables load balancing without repartitioning.