TinkerFest

Tinkerfest is a one-day event that celebrates the creative, curious, and inventive spirit in all of us. Tinkerfest will bring together makers, artists, and tinkerers to showcase their work and invites attendees of all ages to join in on the DIY fun. Tinkerfest is geared towards a family audience but welcomes all visitors to experiment and learn with guest speakers, demonstrations, and fun hands-on activities!

2022 Tinkerfest Partners:

Tiny Tech Club

Join the Tiny Tech Club, an organization bringing Robotics programs to Bay Area elementary students, for a day full of robotics fun! They will have a collection of their robot models on display. Then it’s your turn to get creative by designing and building your own moving LEGO brick models! 

Museum of Craft and Design

This is your chance to get creative with the Museum of Craft and Design! They are dedicated to making creativity accessible for everyone through community programing. Stop by to take part in their on-going art activity or to grab a MakeArt Kit to take home. 

Friends of the Oakland Tool Lending Library

“Tool Trolls” a simple DIY project, using basic hand tools to turn recycled corks, bits or wire, tacks, nails and other scraps into all kinds of fantastical trolls and creatures. There will be an assortment of tools to handle and a quiz about their use.

Museum of Children’s Art 

MOCHA uses the arts as a vehicle to advocate for self-expression, culture and community-building, and the centering of youth voices. Join in with some hands-on visual art making.

Sacramento Astromech (Sacastromech) Builders

Local builder group, the Sacramento Astromech Builders will be at Tinkerfest with some of your favorite droids from a galaxy far far away! Stop by to see these droids up close and learn more about their construction.

Amped Atelier

The tech couture design studio, Amped Atelier, will be at Tinkerfest 2022 to help light up your wardrobe! Using LEDs, create your own power band, pin or bracelet to add that extra glow to your wardrobe.

Cypress Auto Salvage

Working with experienced mechanics, kids will get a chance to use real tools to take a car- apart! 

Play-Well TEK-nologies

Power up your engineering skills with Play-Well TEKnologies and tens of thousands of LEGO® parts! Apply real-world concepts in physics, engineering, and architecture through engineer-designed projects such as: Cars and Battle Tracks. Design and build as never before and explore your craziest ideas.

Tinkering School (Mars Missions)

The Wheel Laboratory with Tinkering School. Build your own Mars rover wheel designs from tinkering materials like tape, cardboard, popsicle sticks, rubber bands, etc., and test them. The activity also hosts a collection of Mars rover wheel prototypes from the Burly Rover development under the Mars mission.

The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment (The MADE)

A non-profit video game museum based in Oakland, California dedicated to the preservation and education of gaming history. Participate in interactive Scavenger Hunt & Gaming Setups.

Rock the Bike

An interactive challenge that harkens back to the classic carnival Sledgehammer game. Using your pedaling to power a graduated light display with a “gong” at the top. The sLEDgehammer is visible, motivating and engaging for guests of all ages.

ACE Maker Space

This non-profit brings together people of diverse skill levels and provides resources for creating. This includes space, a wide variety of tools and supplies to support making and learning. Create your own wearable artwork with ACE Maker Space! Build a button using science-themed art or create your own design. The design is up to you! Be sure to enter the raffle for a free class at ACE Maker Space!

Other activities throughout the day include Cardboardia, building landscapes with cardboard and tape, Live Science Shows and planetarium shows!