Louisville, KY (September 28, 2026) –  Maker Faire Louisville 2026 will take place Saturday, October 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University of Louisville’s Engineering Student Success & Research Building, 201 Engineering Drive. The event is free and open to the public, with no tickets or advance registration required. Additional information is available at louisville.makerfaire.com.

Presented by Louisville Makes, sponsored by GE Appliances, Firstbuild, and MAKE:, and hosted by the University of Louisville’s J.B. Speed School of Engineering, the event brings together artists, engineers, crafters, hobbyists and inventors to share their projects and explain how they were made. Exhibits and activities will take place inside and outside the building, with opportunities for children and adults to meet makers and participate in hands-on demonstrations.

Billed as “The Greatest Show and Tell on Earth,” Maker Faire combines elements of a science fair and community festival. The Louisville event showcases work across disciplines, including robotics, engineering, woodworking, crafts, art and technology, connecting thousands of annual visitors with the people behind the projects built right in their community.

“STEM education thrives when people in the community can see it happening around them. At GE Appliances, we're committed to building that ecosystem locally, and events like the Louisville Makers Faire are exactly what our region needs,” said Sobia Farooq, Maker Faire Board Member and Engineering Program Director at GE Appliances. “It creates opportunities for makers, engineers, and creative minds to connect, collaborate, and inspire each other in ways they might not have imagined."

FEATURED EXHIBITS, ACTIVITIES, AND BOOTHS

The festival’s website features various participating makers and activities, including:

REACT Robotics
Visitors can see VEX robots and learn how students design, build and program robots for competition. REACT, short for Robotics Engineering and Coding Teams, provides students with hands-on opportunities in robotics, engineering and programming.

Sloppy Films Animation Station
Animator and teaching artist John Akre will work with visitors to create stop-motion animation using paper shapes, demonstrating how individual images and movements become an animated sequence.

SuperKick74: The Art of Phil Back and Steven Beezer
Illustrators Phil Back and Steven Beezer will draw and paint live, answering questions about drawing, comic books and digital art. Their exhibit will also include comics, art books, prints and original artwork.

GE Appliances Microwave Arcade
The Microwave Arcade features playable arcade games inside transformed microwave cabinets. Using classic arcade controls, visitors can play microwave-themed challenges in a DIY take on retro gaming.

Kentucky Science Center
Representatives from the Kentucky Science Center will host an interactive booth about the science of moviemaking, where visitors can explore filmmaking techniques and special effects work with hands-on demonstrations.

Louisville Free Public Library
Visitors can make their very own pinback buttons and learn more about the LFPL’s makerspace locations – including how to use them year-round.

ATTENDING THE MAKER FAIRE

Maker Faire Louisville will take place rain or shine. Free parking is available in lots near the venue, and the building is accessible. Exhibits and activities are designed for visitors of all ages.

Maker Faire Louisville 2026
Saturday, October 17, 2026
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Engineering Student Success & Research Building
University of Louisville
201 Engineering Drive
Louisville, Kentucky

Admission: Free. No tickets or advance registration required.

For event information and participating maker listings, visit louisville.makerfaire.com.

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About Maker Faire Louisville

Maker Faire Louisville brings together makers, artists, engineers, hobbyists and other creators to share projects, demonstrate their skills and connect with the community. Presented by Louisville Makes, the event is independently organized and operated under license from Make: Community, LLC.

Maker Faire began in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2006 and brings together people working across technology, art, science and craft to share what they make and how they make it. Learn more at louisville.makerfaire.com.

About Our Sponsors

GE Appliances

Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, GE Appliances is a leading U.S. manufacturer of home appliances with 15,500 team members nationwide. GE Appliances manufactures and sells products found in half of all U.S. homes, including brands such as Monogram™, Café™, GE Profile™, GE®, Haier™, and Hotpoint™. As America’s most invested and #1 Appliance Company¹, it has invested more than $3.5 billion in American manufacturing since 2016.

¹ OpenBrand Consumer Tracking Survey, Q1 – Q4 2024, Based on Volume of Total Majors/MO/RAC – Retail Units 

FirstBuild

FirstBuild is the co-creation lab of GE Appliances and a free community makerspace located on the UofL campus. Guided by GE Appliances’ world-class engineering and design talent, FirstBuild is a destination for makers fueled by a relentless drive to create what's next. The space offers free admission to all community members on evenings and Saturdays.

MAKE:

Make: is a leading resource for makers worldwide, supporting the global maker movement through its flagship magazine – MAKE: - as well as its Maker Faire events and Maker Shed products. The organization’s mission is to foster a community that celebrates invention, creativity, and resourcefulness.