What is Maker Faire?
Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these "makers" to show hobbies, experiments, projects.
We call it the Greatest Show (& Tell) on Earth - a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness.
Glimpse the future and get inspired!
Featured Makers
Interactive Mural
This interactive mural explores the space between digital precision and human gesture. Created in collaboration with local artists, the work combines abstract art through audience participation. Visitors can paint components to add to the mosiac. Instruction for introductory painting techniques will be offered for makers of all ages. As pieces are added, the mural grows into a collective composition shaped by many hands, emphasizing process, experimentation, and shared making.
HideWerks Leather Co
I’m an Engineering student and maker who traded a knifemaker’s forge for an industrial sewing machine. My obsession with leather started during an internship at Moore & Giles, where I learned the architecture of world-class hides. What began as a handmade birthday gift for my girlfriend turned into HideWerks after friends and family started commissioning their own. The Build: I focus on small-batch goods. Since I'm still in school, I don't mass-produce anything; every piece is made one at a time. I prioritize quality over profit margins, sourcing only the best materials because I believe a product is only as good as the hide it's cut from. I use my engineering background to ensure every piece is structurally sound and built to develop a beautiful, lifelong story.
Laser energy
Join Randolph College to learn about the energy in lasers and how you can use a laser to pop a balloon.
MicroKits: Play the Banan-a-Synth using Conductivity
Play the banana keyboard! We’ll have a keyboard made out of bananas that you can play just by touching. We’ll also have synths not connected to keyboards that you can play. We’ve upgraded our circuits from previous years,, and with our new Banan-a-Synth you can now make different instrument sounds and control sound effects using conductivity.
Hacksburg
Hacksburg is the New River Valley's makerspace. Hacksburg members will be showing off projects completed in our workshop, including an ultrasonic levitator, portable laser cutter, tabletop arcade cabinet, foam armor, and more.
Pour painting
Join Randolph College to create a pour painting masterpiece while learning about viscosity and color mixing.
Knex Roller Coaster Model
Come see a huge working model roller coaster built out of K'nex! This coaster is built with thousands of parts, and there will be some epic roller coaster action!
Central Virginia Regional Rescue - Adoption 2026
Central Virginia Regional Rescue is a volunteer based non-profit dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption of regional animals into permanent and loving homes. Through education and community outreach, we aspire to eliminate the need for euthanasia as a means of pet population control. We are a 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax deductible. Our tax ID is 81-1158479. We have no facility; all our animals live as temporary family members in foster homes. Foster homes are the heart of our rescue and the cornerstone to our ability to save lives. CVRR doesn’t have a physical facility. Instead, all of our animals live in foster homes. We provide the supplies, you provide the love & temporary home.
