Putting on an event like Maker Faire Bay Area is not for the faint of heart; imagine throwing a wedding with 20,000+ guests. 20 years later, we’re still doing it. If you wonder why (and you’ll be forgiven), the answer is in the excited faces of the participants and in the people who make it possible. On Opening Day 2026, we saw a fantastic turnout of manufacturers old and new, bringing excitement and enthusiasm that exceeded doctor recommended levels. Of the 300+ exhibits on Friday, here are a few among the army that make this event worthwhile.
Udder Mayhem
Udder Mayhem is an alternative controller rhythm game in which the player plays a barista who prepares café latte by pressing four silicone udder tips to a beat. It was a hit on Friday, with repeat visitors returning to defend their score. Game programming was done in Unity, the controller was made with a Teensy 4.1.
Tiny Robot Soccer
Come challenge your friends and drive innovative little robots in Tiny Robot Soccer! Duke it out in teams of two on the tiny robot soccer field, using retro game controllers to drive Sesame Robot.
Sesam is a palm-sized quadrupedal robot designed completely from scratch by Dorian Todd, and has garnered over 1.1M combined views on YouTube. Watch a real-time dynamic camera view of the game on a big screen for the audience with live scores and effects, or just mess around with the Sesame Robot in the test zone! Optionally, you can bring your own mini robot! Non-combat robots weighing <2 lbs are invited to drop onto the soccer field and see how they stack up against the Sesame Robots. Formal tournaments did not happen, but the participants were given key chains.
The booth also has free stickers and swag, and more.
Bay Area Droid Builders
Bay Area Droid Builders are an eclectic group that shares information and ideas regarding building their favorite robots of the Star Wars Movies like R2-D2, BB-8, and more! They actively participate in local charity and educational events. Always a hit, the droids are constantly getting upgrades with more movie-accurate features.
Sculptures and vessels
Nebula Rider is manifested from the ether to inspire pure bliss, through effortless fluid movement and flight, to lift the viewer into an altered state. Metal is sculptor Adrian Landon’s primary material of choice. It is the substance of infinite possibility and immediate execution. As such, Nebula Rider is made of stainless steel, a larger than life, non-mechanical Pegasus sculpture.
Step aboard the sailing ship CA Thayer and step back in time as educators from the San Francisco National Maritime Park Assocation take you on an adventure, you will see how it was in the historic times of the sailing age and life was like on the Barbary Coast, during the California Gold Rush.
The Cuttlefish Art Car and Flash the Tortoise
The Cuttlefish [featured image] is a 35 foot long animatronic inflatable lighted schnitzel. Flash the Tortoise is a similarly illuminated mobile tortoise made with custom HDPE panels. You can play the lights by using piano or drum set in the dark room!