The 13th Maker Faire Trieste was held Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May, with free entrance.

Go visit the new Photo Gallery (ph- Marta Barnabà)

Go visit the Gallery again, 700+ new photos have been added (ph. Roberto Barnabà)!

MAKE Magazine has a great article about our Maker Faire!!!

The YouTube video on MFTS 2026 by InTrieste (English language magazine).

2026 AWARDS to Makers:

First prize MFTS:

M57 “Artigiani@Volta” – Istituto Tecnico Statale “Alessandro Volta” di Trieste

Motivations: For having been able to combine creativity, technical skills and a collaborative spirit, enhancing artisanal know-how through digital technologies and paying particular attention to inclusion and accessibility, demonstrating how the school can become a concrete laboratory of innovation and sharing of skills.

Second prize MFTS:

M32 “Shredder” – plastic recycling – Andrea Martini

Motivation: For addressing the issue of environmental sustainability with a practical and innovative approach, proposing a concrete solution for the recovery and reuse of waste materials, with particular attention to the circular economy and waste reduction.

Third prize MFTS:

M52 “Wood-Touch” — Wooden business card with NFC

Motivation: For having reinterpreted an everyday object in an innovative way, integrating design, sustainability and digital technology in an original solution capable of combining craftsmanship and communication, while promoting a reduction in the use of paper and waste.

First prize Young Maker:

M58 “MG Palm” – The Bionic hand

Motivation: For the enthusiasm, curiosity, and technical skills demonstrated at a young age in applying digital technologies to the development of solutions with high human and social value, showing creativity, commitment, and a great passion for innovation. 

Second prize Young Maker:

M53 – “From Earth To Space” – Space Eagle

Motivation: For having been able to transform scientific curiosity and passion for space exploration into an engaging project, demonstrating design skills, research spirit and attention to scientific dissemination, also enhancing the remote collaboration of a heterogeneous group of children from all over the national territory.

Third prize Young Maker:

M43 “Digitalizzazione, modellazione e progettazione galileiana” – Liceo Scientifico “G. Galilei” di Trieste

Motivation: For the commitment demonstrated in the application of digital technologies to the enhancement of scientific design, combining technical skills, study and experimentation in an innovative and multidisciplinary educational path.

Special Prize by Jury:

M38 La “Fiera delle Scoperte…in pillole” – I.C. Weiss – Scuola Primaria Giotti

Motivation: For being able to bring the youngest closer to the world of science and discovery through a creative, inclusive and engaging approach, capable of stimulating curiosity, participation and enthusiasm.

Special Prize by Jury:

M11 “Trieste Street Circuit” – Emanuele Babbini & Mattia Cortona

Motivation: For having realized a project that enhances the territory through digital innovation and a passion for motorsport, with particular attention to the quality of design and attention to detail.

Science Pic-Nic Prize:

M30 “ArtuRobot” – Emanuele Frisoni

Motivation: For the ability to combine robotics, creativity and scientific dissemination in an accessible and engaging project, able to bring the public closer to innovative technologies in a simple and effective way, accompanying the growth and learning of children through the continuous evolution of the same tool.

PRE-EVENT “FANTA MAKER” on Saturday 2 May:

The opening of the Maker Faire Trieste has been a pre-event “FANTA MAKER” scheduled for Saturday 2 May at 18:30 at the Ariston Cinema, with the astrophysicist and science popularizer Luca Perri, protagonist of the conference “Nolan’s Time – The physics of time explained thanks to incomprehensible films”. A journey between science and cinema that, through the analysis of films such as Interstellar, Inception and Tenet, explores the multiple declinations of time in Christopher Nolan’s work, questioning the boundary between cinematographic imagination and scientific reflection.

PROGRAM FOR SATURDAY MAY 9:

The interviews with the makers (“Maker’s Time”) have been curated by Erik Romelli and Daniele Tavagnacco (Science Industries), unless otherwise indicated the events were held in the 120-seat tent for the public.

12:00 – 12:15 Opening of the 13th Maker Faire Trieste, by the Organizers

12:15 – 17:00 Maker’s Time:

12:20 – 12:40 Audace Sailing Team: dove la prestazione incontra la sostenibilità” M70

12:40 – 13:00 UniTS Racing Team M71

13:00 – 13:20 UniTS Astreo M68

13:20 – 13:40 Gruppo Astrofili Universitario di Trieste M69

13:40 – 14:00 “ArtuRobot®: scansiona il QR-Code e comanda il robot dal tuo smartphone” M30

14:00 – 14:20 “Laboratorio di Musica Meccanica” di AMMILAB M1

14:20 – 14:40 “Olimpiade delle Clanfe e Rampigada Santa” di SPIZ A.p.s. M19

14:40 – 15:00 The Making of “L’albero della Vita” di E. Cosolo M35

15:00 – 15:20 “Dalle radiosonde meteo ai pico balloon: esploratori della stratosfera – messaggeri di pace” di Pico Balloon M4

15:20 – 15:40 Concerto di Ukulele M28

15:40 – 16:00 “Associazione Orologeria Pesarina: Il Timp al è Galantomp”  M77

16:00 – 16:20 “La Fiera delle Scoperte in Pillole” della scuola primaria V. Giotti M38

16:20 – 16:40 “From wine to what?!” di Kassandra Lora M51

16:40 – 17:00 “Abdus Salam: 100 years” a cura dell’International Centre for Theoretical Physics – ICTP M81

17:00 LAUNCH of the FANTA QUIZ NIGHT by Cappella Underground

17:00 – 17:40 OPENING CEREMONY 

17:40 – 18:00 MAKER AWARDS

18:00 –  19:00 “Moda e informazione. Sostenibilità, media e cittadinanza consapevole nell’Europa di oggi” conferenza di Emma Maiorino, a cura di Europe Direct – Comune di Trieste M80

19:00 – 19:30 Dialogue with Alessandro Ranellucci on “Presente e futuro dei Maker in Italia”

19:30 – 20:00 Scuola Padawan by Crimson Squad M75

20:00 – 20:05 CLOSING OF THE FIRST DAY OF MAKER FAIRE TRIESTE

Invito a M36 “over the top” – gara di macchinine LEGO per makers

Following, from 20:00, FLASH MOB: performances itineranti in piazza dello Star Wars Crimson Squad M75: “Spade laser nella notte”.

Starting at 14:30: FLASH MOB in piazza con gli ukulelisti dell’American Corner M28, aperto a tutti!

FREE WORKSHOPS ON SATURDAY 9:

14:30-16:00 Seeed studio: Design con l’IA: dal Gesto all’Interazione (M5)

16:00-17:00 Modellazione del polistirolo con il calore (M87)

“FANTA MAKER” EVENTS for SATURDAY 9:
(organised by Cappella Underground and Trieste Science+Fiction Festival):

from 21:30 to 23 “Fanta Quiz Night” under the big tent Piazza Unità:

The FantaQuiz Night, the team quiz dedicated to cinema, TV series and nerdy culture conducted by the editors of Serial Minds, Diego Castelli and Jacopo Cirillo, was an event designed as a live show with high involvement, which puts teams of enthusiasts to the test through quizzes, challenges and curiosities related to pop culture, transforming dissemination into a moment of collective entertainment.

The 2026 program was also enriched with the Galactical Library, a day entirely dedicated to board games and role-playing games, inspired by the homonymous initiative of the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival. The event has involved local associations and some of the main Italian publishing houses in the sector, including Asmodee, Cranio Creations, DV Giochi, Ghenos Games and MS Edizioni, with the aim of offering demonstrations, game sessions open to the public and presentations of editorial news and previews. The event has been staged from 11:00 to 19:00 on SATURDAY 9 May on the first floor of the Urban Center of Trieste in Corso Cavour 2/2.

All FANTA MAKER EVENTS are free admission.

PROGRAM FOR SUNDAY, MAY 10:

The interviews with the makers (“Maker’s Time”) have been curated by Erik Romelli and Daniele Tavagnacco (Science Industries), unless otherwise indicated the events were held in the 120-seat tent for the public.

10:00 – 10:10 Opening by the Organizers

10:10 – 10:20 partenza degli Urban Sketchers M88

10:40 – 16:00 Maker’s Time:

10:40 – 11:00 “Science without Borders” di Koper International School M76

11:00 – 11:30 “Maker Faire Shenzen” di Seeed Studio M5

11:30 – 12:00 “Makers from Belgrado, Serbia” di M58 e M66

12:00 – 12:20 “OMG Robotics: making technical education more affordable and practical for schools in the Czech Republic” di M3 OMG Robotics

12:20 – 12:40 “Solar Cooker a risparmio energetico” di Luka School, Croatia M45

12:40 – 13:00 “I progetti STEMerica e BIOplanet” di Fablab Zagreb M85 & M90

13:00 – 13:20 “Open Shapes of Print – Il futuro della stampa analogica” M26

13:20 – 13:40 “Stop Motion Factory” di MINIMUMlab M86

13:40 – 14:00 “Modellazione del polistirolo con il calore” di M87

14:00 – 14:20 Concerto di Ukulele M28

14:20 – 14:40 “L’antica Roma a scuola” di Res Mentis M37

14:40 – 15:00 “Digitalizzazione, Modellazione e Progettazione Galileiana” del Liceo Scientifico G. Galilei M43

15:00 – 15:20 “Gruppo Steampunk Nord-Est” e a seguire parata steampunk, di M13

(Starting at 15:20: Steampunk Parade around the square)

15:20 – 15:40 “Dal garage all’università” di ATlab M29

15:40 – 16:00 “Voltage Pyromania” di Michele Pietravalle M17

16:00 – 17:00 ”Chem Show: La chimica come non l’avete mai vista, reazioni spettacolari e miscugli divertenti!” Educational show by Prof. Tavagnacco and Tosoratti starring the young spectators of the public M20

17:00 – 17:20 “Rob.berto il robot che fa selfie” di Daniele Corte M9

17:20 – 17:40 “Il Pendolo e la Meraviglia” di Antonio Ianiero M34

17:40 – 18:00 Final greetings and CLOSURE OF THE MAKER FAIRE TRIESTE

FREE WORKSHOPS ON SUNDAY 10:

16:00-17:00 Polystyrene modeling with heat (M87)

11:30-13:30 Seeed studio: The Radio Game: explore and interact with events through mesh networks (M5)

“FANTA MAKER” EVENT for SUNDAY 10:
(organised by Cappella Underground and Trieste Science+Fiction Festival):

In addition to the recreational activities, FantaMaker did also host an in-depth moment dedicated to game design with the workshop “Creating a game in 200 words”, a practical workshop aimed at enthusiasts and aspiring authors that, in two guided hours, has taken participants from the idea to the prototyping of a complete game, through an essential and concentrated game design process. The workshop has been curated by game designer Francesco “Rugerfred” Sedda and has been held on SUNDAY 10 May from 10:00 am in the spaces of the Mediateca La Cappella Underground in via Roma 19 in Trieste.

All FANTA MAKER EVENTS are free admission.

Maker Faire Trieste 2026 has been co-organized by the Comune di Trieste and the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and it received a 30,000 Euro financial contribution from Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia through the “Avviso pubblico per la concessione di contributi a sostegno di iniziative progettuali riguardanti manifestazioni di divulgazione della cultura scientifica – Avviso ordinario 2026” #iosonofriuliveneziagiulia 

We thank our sponsors and institutional partners: Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia (#IOSONOFRIULIVENEZIAGIULIA) and Comune di Trieste.

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