The Greatest Show and Tell on Earth

Louisville Maker Faire is a celebration of creativity, curiosity, and hands-on invention. It’s part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new — a showcase of makers, tinkerers, artists, engineers, performers, and hobbyists of all kinds. Whether you’re into robotics, woodworking, crafts, cosplay, or just cool ideas, there’s something here to spark your imagination.

Plan your visit

Featured Makers

LVL1 Power Tool Drag Racing

LVL1 is bringing the high-octane, kinetic theater of Power Tool Drag Racing for DIY racing fun!  Instead of cars, we race modified power tools, dragging their power cords and bouncing down a wooden drag strip.  The track has Arduino-powered sound effects, a real Christmas light tree countdown, and an electronic, wig-wag checkered flag “Win-Dicator” at the finish.  You and your friend que up for your turn to race each other using our “house racers” (Harbor Freight belt sanders complete with your chosen Beanie Baby driver held on with velcro). Periodically, we interrupt the match racing for an exhibition run of our wild, custom builds powered by angle grinders, circular saws, and chainsaws for big laughs and high-wire thrills.  It’s raw, hilarious, hillbilly geek fun from start to finish.

Sandcasting Metal

Class Description In this workshop you will learn the sand-casting process used to make jewelry, tools, and other items from molten metal. A hands-on demonstration will allow you to create your own mold and assist in casting your first piece. No prior knowledge of sand casting or jewelry making is necessary. You will learn: What tools are necessary to create a mold and cast molten metal How to pack a mold for pouring Different items you can use to create molds from How to finish your piece

Louisville Free Public Library Makerspaces

Make your very own pinback buttons with the Louisville Free Public Library. Learn about our maker space locations at the Northeast, Parkland, Portland, and South Central library locations and how to use them year-round!

Threads Around the World

Threads Around the World explores a universal human experience and introduces participants to embroidery traditions: using fiber, thread, and fabric to create something beautiful and meaningful. This panel presentation will take attendees around the world through textile traditions, using a world map and country representations to explore how people have embroidered textiles. Examples will include Asian, Middle Eastern, and French heirloom textiles, and the role of weaving throughout history. The presentation celebrates textile-making across cultures and throughout history and invites attendees to explore the examples more closely afterward. Designed for ages 7+, this family-friendly experience encourages curiosity and appreciation for the people and stories behind textile arts.

3D Printing for Astrophotography

My project involves 3D modeling and printing customized accessories and parts to facilitate my astrophotography. This type of photography has a steep learning curve, a large part of which is learning the ins and outs of the gear involved. As I advanced further into this field of niche, I realized I needed parts that simply did not exist. I combined my passion for 3D printing with my love for space, and the result was a deep-sky astrophotography setup capable of capturing photos of the planets, lunar / solar eclipses, meteor showers, distant galaxies, and nebulae in our home galaxy with precision. I have since become a Bambu Lab School Ambassador for Ohio University. I host events and travel to maker fairs to help teach how 3D printing can facilitate the pursuit of one’s interests!

Sissonic Instruments

I’m a hobbyist luthier working with reclaimed local materials making experimental and exotic instruments from the world over. I’m looking to show off some of my projects, and hopefully connect with other makers in the same sphere and we can learn together!

Maker13 / Maker Mobile / Combat Robotics

Maker13 is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that serves as an incubator to help dreams become a reality. The application of our mission includes: providing artists, entrepreneurs, and small businesses with access to relevant tools, knowledge, skills, and support; Maker Mobile youth outreach for STEM/STEAM education; and workforce development partnerships involving nonprofit, corporate, and government sectors. Maker13 and the Maker Mobile are partnering with Indiana Combat Robotics to showcase the traveling makerspace which features lasers, 3D printers, woodworking equipment, textiles, and more, and highlight our involvement in combat robotics. We hope to expose kids of all ages to creative tools and combat robotics. Stop by to learn more about combat robotics and our community maker space.  

Unatronics Musical Instruments

I build electronic and electro-acoustic musical instruments. Stuff like drum machines, synthesizers, amplified and processed traditional folk instruments, and interesting sound experiments. Everything is some combination of handbuilt electronics, found objects, custom fabrication, and handpainting. I like to rescue special objects from the waste stream and give them a second life with a completely different purpose. For instance, I scavenge a lot of hardwoods from furniture that is being thrown away. My goal is give people an open-ended creative space that generally sounds good and look beautiful, but also allows a wide range of expression which can include the more extreme ends of audio processing/deconstruction and saturated psychedelia.

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