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Host a Fest

Bring Hacktoberfest to your city.

Anyone can host a Fest. Choose between a Hack Day or a Meet Up.

Apply to host a Fest

The formats

Two ways to run the day.

Every Fest is one day and in person. From there, pick the format that fits your community.

Hack Day

A mini-hackathon.

Hands on keyboard. A Hack Day gets people building and shipping, with prizes for the best projects.

People build projects
Yes
Workshops and speakers
Yes
Prizes
Yes
MLH funding
Yes
Meet Up

A community gathering.

Less structure, same spirit. A Meet Up might have speakers or simply offer an opportunity for your community to get together.

People build projects
No
Workshops and speakers
Optional
Prizes
No
MLH funding
No
  • A crowd of Fest attendees sharing a laugh between sessions
  • Three attendees huddled around a laptop, deep in a build
  • Two attendees on the mic presenting their project to the room
  • A team crowded around an MLH laptop to watch a demo
  • Attendees chatting over plates of food between sessions
  • An attendee flashing a peace sign while catching up with friends
  • Three attendees on a couch giving a thumbs up behind a laptop
  • Two attendees heads down over a laptop in a packed lecture hall

Hosting, supported

You bring the people. We bring the rest.

Two attendees arm in arm, all smiles at their FestA room of attendees mid-build at their laptops

  • Stickers, swag, and prizes

    Every Fest is eligible to receive stickers, t-shirts, and additional swag for its participants.

  • Promotion

    Your Fest is listed in our searchable directory and promoted across MLH and DEV channels.

  • Programming support

    Help shaping your Fest activities so you’re not starting from scratch.

  • Funding

    Hack Day organizers receive funding to help cover their event, with financial reimbursement from MLH for certain event-related expenses. Meet Ups run without MLH funding.

The manual for all of it.

From booking venues to event programming to getting your swag, the host handbook has all the information you need.

Read the host handbook

Apply to host

Ready to host your Fest?

Applications are now open and Fests are confirmed on a rolling basis.

  1. Apply

    Tell us about your community and the type of Fest you want to run.

  2. Get confirmed

    Fests are confirmed on a rolling basis, within a week of a completed application.

  3. Host your Fest

    Get ready to run your Hack Day or Meet Up!

Apply to host a Fest