Maker Faire Trieste is a reminder of what the movement can be at its best: deeply local and rooted in the unique community of a particular place and its history, radically international, scientifically aspirational and collaborative, and full of the joyful chaos that makes Maker Faire as much a way of life as a moment in time. Set against the sea, in Trieste’s stunning Piazza dell’Unità d’Italia, Maker Faire Trieste brings the past and future, science and art, Italy and the world into conversation. And so, if you find yourself wandering sunny Trieste this May, follow the sound of whirring motors and excited chatter and you’ll know you’ve found Maker Faire Trieste, which returns May 9–10, 2026 for its 13th edition, transforming the Piazza into a sprawling open-air playground of invention. With 440 Makers from 8 countries (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, Serbia, Czech Republic, Sweden, and a group from the Maker Faire Shenzen) exhibiting (the largest number in the event’s history), expect everything from robotics and digital fabrication to sustainability experiments and playful science demos, with free entry, hands-on workshops, and hundreds of makers! Reflecting its inclusivity and serious chops, the event is produced and hosted by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics and co-hosted the City of Trieste, birthplace of Leonardo Da’Vinci, whose birthday was celebrated during Maker Faire Trieste 2020 when the city was also named the European City of Science.
The Adriatic’s Open-Air Lab
Trieste has the highest densities of researchers and scientists of any city in Italy, and this pride and love of learning gives its Maker Faire a distinct flavor: less spectacle (though still plenty of whimsy) and more curiosity-driven exploration with a global and technical flavor. Perched between the Adriatic Sea and Central Europe, the city feels like a crossroads of ideas, cultures, and disciplines. That energy spills directly into the Faire itself, where tents line the waterfront and prototypes hum in the salty air. It’s a living laboratory and that unique fee is no accident. The event is produced by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), a UNESCO-linked research powerhouse founded by Nobel laureate Abdus Salam. Its Scientific FabLab (SciFabLab) sits at the heart of the Faire’s DNA, blending hardcore research with grassroots tinkering. The result? An event where particle physicists, Arduino hackers, artists, and students of all ages share the same tables—and sometimes the same tools. From this cauldron, the 13th Edition doubles down on what Trieste does best: blending science, creativity, and accessibility. The pre-event “Fanta-maker” which include presetations and workshops on science-fiction, organized by the local sci-fi film festival organizers capture the dichotomous spirit of the event: past and future, science and art, fantasy and reality on a single stage featuring astrophysicist and science communicator Luca Perri. He will headline the talk “Nolan’s Time: The Physics of Time Explained Through Incomprehensible Films”—a journey blending science and cinema that, through an analysis of films such as Interstellar, Inception, and Tenet, explores the multifaceted nature of time within the work of Christopher Nolan, while examining the boundary between cinematic imagination and scientific inquiry.
If you peek behind the curtain, the Trieste team treats the Faire itself as a maker project alongside the hundreds of other Maker Faires around the world, just as ICTP scientists and researcher collaborate internationally to solve some of the world’s most compelling problems. Their recipe: build a community-powered event fueled by volunteers; keep it free and accessible; let makers lead with diverse, original projects; and, of course, iterate—up to V13.
Makers to Watch in 2026
To understand Maker Faire Trieste 2026, it helps to look back. Early editions of Trieste Mini Maker Faire showed the roots of today’s event: smaller, scrappier gatherings on the ICTP campus—some of the only public events held at the center—that proved there was a hunger for hands-on creativity in the region. In 2021, the Faire moved to the Piazza for the first time and packed the square—which is also used for an annual Christmas Fair common across Italy and Europe and which lent some of its infrastructure—with everything from flying water rockets and mini steam locomotives to AI-powered coffee “noses” and LEGO cityscapes. Drones buzzed overhead, robots roamed freely, and repair stations invited visitors to fix their own gear, turning spectators into participants. That year also cemented two enduring features: The Science Picnic which aims to make science playful and social and a strong space-tech presence, tied to global initiatives like NASA’s Space Apps Challenge.
This year, ICTP organizer Carlo Fonda, identified a few X-large exhibits the team is excited about.
Tree of Life – Eugenio Cosolo A scaled-down replica of the Tree of Life from EXPO 2015 Milan. This 5-meter-tall metal structure featuring a 4-meter-wide tubular canopy, is equipped with lighting and musical effects to present evening shows.
AMMILAB are a punch-paper-roll-programmable robot-rock-band. Italy’s laboratory for mechanical music, the group offer both original mechanical musical instruments—those used prior to the advent of radio—and new technologies applied to vintage paper-based musical media. Among their various projects: A street organ ensemble featuring three robots (a bassist, a percussionist, and a glockenspiel player); A digital player for player-piano rolls; An original 24-note Ariston organette, manufactured in Leipzig between 1885 and 1910.
Two Unique (and musical) Tesla Coil Projects
Music with lightning – DRSSTC
Voltage Pyromania! Michele Pietravalle has been building Tesla coils since the age of 15, and after over 25 years of passion and experimentation, he has elevated his coils to increasingly advanced levels in terms of both type and power. His research led him to create VoltagePyromania—a musical and theatrical project that combines lightning and fire elements into a unique and immersive artistic experience.
MacHead breathes new life into the shell of an Apple eMac by integrating an LCD monitor and a microcomputer. The wearer can see the outside world, while the audience interacts with a screen that serves as a digital face. An experiment in para-facial expressiveness that explores the boundary between human and machine.
The Ant is a compact CNC machine designed for prototyping printed circuit boards (PCBs) and creating small components out of various materials—ideal for makers and personal projects. Easy to build, The Ant is a DIY project that utilizes open-source hardware, electronics, and software. Having traveled to Maker Faire Milwaukee, it returns to Trieste to unveil 2.0 upgrades.
Check out more makers HERE! The full program of activations, performances, and workshops HERE.
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