Highlights of Maker Faire Miami 2026: Where Curiosity Becomes Creation

By tompupo, May 4, 2026

Maker Faire Miami 2026 wasn’t just an event—it was a weekend-long celebration of creativity, curiosity, and community, where over 5,000 students, families, educators, and makers came together to build, explore, and imagine what’s possible.

It all began on Friday with Maker Education Day, where more than 700 students and over 100 teachers & chaperones transformed the Fuchs Pavilion at the Miami-Dade County Fair & Expo Center into a living classroom. This wasn’t learning from a desk—it was learning through action. Students rotated through hands-on activities that brought STEAM to life: building, experimenting, designing, and discovering alongside real makers.

From experimenting with circuits to engaging in design challenges, every moment was an invitation to participate. Teachers watched as students lit up with curiosity—fully immersed, asking questions, and making connections that no textbook could replicate.

What made the experience unforgettable were the makers themselves. Students stepped into the world of the 501st Legion, where storytelling meets craftsmanship, and witnessed the intensity of live demonstrations from Florida Armored Combat, where physics and engineering play out in real time. Maker Celebrity, John Collins (The Paper Airplane Guy), taught the science behind air flight and allowed students to try their hand at creating record-breaking airplane designs. Featured maker Mateo Jarquin, from MateoTechLab, shared his inspiring story from student to award-winning innovator during a lunch and learn with the students.

Across the floor, artisans, engineers, and creators shared not just what they made—but how and why they made it—turning every interaction into a moment of inspiration.

Maker Education Day By The Numbers:

700+ Students

100+ Teachers
& Chaperones

28 Classrooms

40+ Activities

Impact By The Numbers:

The Demonstrations and Activities at Education Day Had an Impact on My Students by:

Teacher Testimonials:

“It was a very informative and engaging experience for students to apply their school knowledge to real world experiences.”

“Taking my students to Maker Faire Miami was a truly meaningful experience. It was inspiring to see them so engaged, curious, and excited to explore new ideas. I noticed a real boost in their confidence, they began to see themselves as creators, not just learners. The hands-on activities allowed students of all levels to participate and succeed, and it was especially powerful for those who don’t always shine in traditional academic settings. Overall, it sparked curiosity, creativity, and a genuine interest in STEAM learning.”

“My students were so excited to create, learn and collaborate in activities. They are still talking about how much they enjoyed going on this field trip!”

Moonlighter FabLab STEAM+ Student Showcase

Moonlighter FabLab’s Design Thinking sessions are a part of the City of Miami Beach STEAM+ Partnership program, where cultural anchors facilitate in-school STEAM enrichment programs across Miami Beach feeder pattern school sites. In the 2025-2026 school year, Moonlighter FabLab served over 600 students across 5 schools. Students spent an hour each week with Moonlighter FabLab educators and learned the fundamentals of the design thinking methodology, basic circuitry, 3D design and 3D printing. Five students from each classroom were selected to feature their work at Maker Faire Miami in the student showcase. Each student and their families received free entry to the event and were able to participate in all of the activities.

Maker Faire Miami – Main Event Days

As the weekend opened to the public, that same energy expanded into a full-scale festival of innovation.

Families poured in by the thousands, filling the space with excitement—from the roar of combat robots in the Robot Renegades arena to the spectacle of cosplay, live performances, and interactive exhibits around every corner.

Combat Robotics

Palm Beach Bots hosted Robot Renegades where over 30 competing teams across various weight classes battled it out in the arena.

Maker Talks

Maker Talks brought powerful stories to the stage, where creators shared their journeys, their failures, and their breakthroughs—reminding audiences that making is as much about persistence as it is about invention.

The Art of Turning Ideas Into Reality by PLACITECH

Alessandro Placitelli

MateoTechLab | How to Build a Difference

Mateo Jarquin

How to build almost any robot

Alex Stephens – Every Flavor of Robot

New Threads: STEM Education Through Fashion

Christina Ernst

InterlinkKnight

Daniel Richter

Creative Futures: Art, Technology and AI Interfaces

Jadayne Smith

Maker Education Zone – Workshops

Workshops invited attendees of all ages to roll up their sleeves and create something of their own. Whether it was a child building their first project or an adult rediscovering the joy of making, the experience was the same: hands-on, minds-on, and deeply personal.

Play with Robots: Animaquina Interactive Robot Workshop

Luis Pacheco

Build Your Own AI Agent on a Raspberry Pi

hello_miami

Building and Programming Semi-Autonomous Electric Vehicles

Max Ringelheim

Wood Working for Early Learners

David Wells

Voice Acting for Beginners

The Kitchen

Maker Cities Presentations

The Maker Cities Program took to the Maker Talks stage – as students presented bold, community-driven design concepts for the future of public space on Lincoln Road. The Maker Cities Program is an NSF-funded, workforce-driven, hands-on learning experience that brings together design, advanced manufacturing, and civic engagement. Over the course of an intensive studio program at Moonlighter FabLab, participants develop skills in digital fabrication, design thinking, and entrepreneurship while tackling real-world challenges in partnership with local stakeholders.

After thoughtful deliberation by the panel of judges, Agency 4: Lincoln Walls emerged as the winning proposal—recognized for its creativity, feasibility, and impact. Selected to move forward into full-scale fabrication, the project now enters its next phase as a collaborative design-build effort, bringing students’ ideas out of the class and into the real world.

Two NEW Performance Villages:
501st Legion Galactic Empire & Medieval Armored Knights

Cosplay was on full display – from Vacuum Forming experts displaying props, to MH Cosplay showing larger than human scale costumes, to David Alvarez’ life sized Wall-E, BB-8, and Rocky animatronics, to theme-park quality displays by Vida Custom Designs. But the two showstoppers with large footprints on the show floor came from the 501st Legion with a 50′ x 50′ Galactic Empire experience with interactive sets and over a half-dozen live characters you could interact with. Right next to it was the Florida Armored Combat Arena with scheduled Knight Fights all weekend long. It was a high energy experience that had people cheering for their favorite Knights.

Over a Dozen FREE Hands-on Activities

Aside from the dozens of activities offered by makers at their booths, each family received a Maker Passport that encouraged them to try their hand at a dozen FREE maker activities. When a family completed their passport, they would receive a Maker Faire Miami poster and sticker pack! There were also a few low-cost activities including screen printing your own commemorative shirt, Build your own Nerdy Derby, and soldering an LED light up badge.

Throughout the weekend, one thing became clear—Maker Faire Miami is more than an event. It’s a reflection of a growing movement. A movement where learning is active, creativity is celebrated, and anyone—regardless of age or background—can become a maker.

From students discovering new passions on Education Day to families creating lasting memories over the weekend, Maker Faire Miami 2026 proved that the future isn’t something we wait for.

It’s something we make…together!

Maker Faire Miami By The Numbers:

Exhibit Types

Attendance

Interactive Experiences

Testimonials

Event Gallery

Maker Faire Miami is independently organized and operated by Moonlighter FabLab, Inc. under license from Make: Community, LLC. Maker Faire Miami 2026 is part of the annual cultural programs organized by Moonlighter FabLab, and made possible with the support of the City of Miami Beach Department of Tourism and Culture, Cultural Arts Council, and the Miami Beach Mayor and City Commissioners.