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October 2026In-person and online · Free

300+ Fests. One is near you.

Can’t make it in person?

Join online from anywhere and get swag shipped to your door

Hacktoberfest 2026: AI belongs to everyone.

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Introduction

What is Hacktoberfest?

Hacktoberfest is a month-long celebration of open source throughout October. This year, it’s all about building with open-weight models and open-source AI.

It’s free, and it’s for everyone, wherever you are in your open-source AI or software creating journey. Join one of 300+ Fests in cities around the world, take part online all month, or both.

Taken part before? Pull requests no longer count toward rewards but there are more ways than ever for you to earn t-shirts, stickers, and more.

Read our mission

Where to go

Upcoming Fests.

300+ Fests are taking place across the world. Here are a few happening soon.

Loading the next Fests…

See every Fest

Attend online

Can’t get to a Fest? Join from anywhere.

Hacktoberfest is online all October with livestreams and challenges. Collect virtual stickers for participating and we’ll ship you swag right to your door.

  • Livestreams

    Sessions on open-weight models, agents and tools. Check in with the code on screen to collect a sticker.

    See the schedule

  • DEV Challenges

    A new mini-hackathon launches every week in October.

    See the challenges

  • Global Hack Week

    A one-week hacker festival filled with livestream sessions and challenges.

    See the sessions
Attend online

How it works

Sign in, show up, collect stickers.

Before

  1. Sign in with MyMLH

    Free, and it takes a minute. Sign in and add your address for your first two stickers.

In October

  1. Go to a Fest, or join online

    Register on a Fest’s page, or check the schedule for livestreams and challenges.

  2. Get a swag pack in the mail

    Collect three virtual stickers and we mail you a real sticker pack. Keep going for more and unlock even more swag.

Start your sticker book

Stickers and prizes will be mailed 8-12 weeks after Hacktoberfest concludes.

Partners & sponsors

Backing the builders.

Hacktoberfest is powered by MLH and DEV and presented by DigitalOcean. Alongside them, this year’s sponsors cover the Fests, the swag, and the participant packs that reach builders around the world.

Common questions

Everything else, answered.

Hacktoberfest works differently this year, and a new format always comes with questions. We have the answers: here’s how to take part, in-person or online, and what you can earn along the way.

What is Hacktoberfest 2026?

Hacktoberfest is a month-long celebration of open source throughout October. In 2026, the focus is on learning and building with open-source AI and open-weight models, both through in-person and online activities. MLH and DEV are managing the event this year in partnership with our friends at DigitalOcean.

Do I still submit pull requests to earn swag?

Pull requests and merge requests will no longer count toward Hacktoberfest rewards. It’s easier than ever to submit low-effort spam PRs to projects, so we’re listening to maintainer feedback and no longer actively incentivizing PRs. That being said, we certainly still encourage you to work on open source and share your work with the world during Hacktoberfest. Our new format focuses on learning and building together while reducing the burden of low-effort contributions on maintainers.

How do I take part?

Sign in to My Hacktoberfest with your MyMLH account. The participant dashboard will open by October 1 and show the activities and requirements needed to earn your sticker pack. Connecting your DEV account is optional but recommended, since it will award you a special DEV badge and allow you to earn credit for participating in DEV Challenges.

  • In person: Find a Fest and register on its event page. Each Fest has a separate registration.
  • Online: Join DEV Challenges, MLH livestreams, or Global Hack Week: Hacktoberfest to connect with our community and complete digital challenges.

Anyone is welcome to participate online, in person, or both.

How do I earn swag?

Fests will have T-shirts and other swag available in limited quantities. Contact your local host to learn more about what is available at their Fest and how to receive the swag. If your Fest ran out of stickers, don’t worry! We will be sending a sticker pack directly to your door as a thank you for participating.
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