The “Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth” is coming back to Long Island, and this year it’s bigger, bolder, and bursting with fire-breathing dragons. The 8th annual Maker Faire Long Island takes place Sunday, September 14, 2025, at its brand-new home, Stony Brook University’s Student Activity Center, coinciding with the Long Island Explorium’s 20th anniversary.
Organizers say this move unlocks more space, easier parking, and new opportunities to wow fans with immersive exhibits and cutting-edge tech.
“While we absolutely love the Port Jefferson location, this new site offers a great experience for both makers and attendees,” Lisa Collet Rodriguez, co-producer of Maker Faire Long Island and Director of Digital Media, Marketing, and Programs at the Long Island Explorium, told SciFiSland.com in a phone interview recently. “We really want the community to come out and know what’s there. An amazing event is waiting for them.”
Why Maker Faire Long Island Made the Big Move
The Explorium’s milestone anniversary gave organizers a reason to go big. Stony Brook provides not just larger ballrooms and outdoor promenades but also the infrastructure to handle growing crowds and exhibitors.
“We’ve worked with SBU on programs before, so it felt like the right time to expand our partnership,” Rodriguez said. “There’s designated parking, the ballroom, and the promenade leading up to the Wolf statue — it all lends itself to a different experience for the Maker Faire.”
Click here for our list of all geek, scifi, and cosplay cons on Long Island in 2025.
The September date was also chosen strategically.
“We looked to satisfy the community with no conflicts at the new location,” Rodriguez said. “This is all new for us as far as timing.”
Makers, Robots, and Fire-Breathing Beasts
This year’s lineup reads like a geek’s wish list:
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Adam Foster’s Magma-Pumpkin-Dragon: three massive flame-throwing sculptures, including a volcano, a plasma-carved pumpkin, and a fire-breathing dragon.
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Elijah Horland of MythBusters Jr.: hosting a learn-to-solder workshop where kids and adults can make their own light-up badge.
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Princesses with Powertools: yes, Disney-style royalty teaching kids how to drill, build, and create.
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FIRST Long Island Robotics: dozens of middle and high school robotics teams showing off competition-ready bots.
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NY Sun Works Hydroponic Classrooms and Stony Brook Solar Racing Team: sustainability and innovation on full display.
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Suffolk County Radio Club and global changemakers like Tikkun Olam Makers and Makers Making Change: linking history and tech for today’s challenges.
And that’s just the beginning. Organizers expect more than 100 makers to showcase their inventions, performances, and hands-on activities, ensuring there’s something new to discover around every corner.
“If you make, you come,” Rodriguez said. “We’re already seeing a lot of new makers signing up, which shows how much the word is getting out.”
A Galaxy Not So Far, Far Away
Of course, no SciFiSland preview is complete without Star Wars. This year, the 501st Legion’s Empire City Garrison brings a life-size trash compactor set straight out of A New Hope. The Saber Guild Endor Temple returns with its popular Padawan Training Academy and lightsaber choreography workshops, while the Long Island R2-D2 Builders Group rolls in with fan-favorite droids.
“These groups are bringing their really big set pieces,” Rodriguez said. “It’s going to feel immersive, and we’re so excited about the opportunity.”
What Maker Faire Long Island Means for the Community
Maker Faire Long Island isn’t just about gadgets and cosplay — it’s about sparking curiosity. The Explorium has spent two decades encouraging kids and families to embrace STEM learning, “fail forward,” and see creativity as a lifelong pursuit.
“We want the community to say these things are important,” Rodriguez said. “This is a day where everyone, from kids to seasoned engineers, can be inspired.”
Maker Faire Long Island Details
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What: Maker Faire Long Island 2025
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When: Sunday, September 14, 2025
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Where: Stony Brook University, Student Activity Center
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Produced by: Long Island Explorium (celebrating 20 years)
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Tickets & Info: longisland.makerfaire.com
From fire-sculptures to stormtroopers, solar racing boats to soldering badges, Maker Faire Long Island 2025 promises a one-day mash-up of science, art, engineering, and imagination, all in a new location!
“New can be exciting, new can be scary,” Rodriguez said. “But this is going to be amazing.”
