Join Dale Dougherty and some of the original makers from the 2006 Maker Faire Bay Area as they look back on their projects and share what they've been up to since.
The first Maker Faire took place on April 22, 2006, at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. About 200 makers participated in the two-day event, drawing an attendance of roughly 15,000 people, and none of us could have imagined what the next 20 years would bring.
Now, two decades later, we're celebrating the 20th anniversary of Maker Faire Bay Area. With this year's event just around the corner at the Historic Mare Island Naval Shipyard (September 25–27, 2026), we wanted to mark the occasion in a meaningful way – by catching up with some of the original makers who brought their projects to that very first Faire. Join us for this special celebration to hear how their work has evolved, what they've been building, and how their passions have grown and changed over the past 20 years.