MLH HacktoberFest 2026

Welcome to MLH Hacktoberfest 2026!

Hacktoberfest is a one-day mini-hackathon for students who want to build, learn and have fun with code. You don’t need any experience. Whether you’ve shipped ten projects or have never written a line of code, there’s a spot for you here.

What makes it special

• Beginner-friendly: Mentors will be around all day to help you get unstuck, pick a project idea or learn something new.
• Short and focused: It’s just five hours. That’s enough time to build something real without pulling an all-nighter.
• Open-source spirit: We’re celebrating Hacktoberfest by encouraging teams to share their code and learn from each other.
• Community first: Meet other student builders, form a team and leave with new friends, new skills and a project for your portfolio.

Who can join

Any student is welcome. You can come solo or bring a team of up to 4. We’ll help you find teammates at the start.

Schedule (Friday, October 16)

• 10:00 AM: Check-in and welcome
• 10:15 AM: Opening, rules and team formation
• 10:30 AM: Hacking begins
• 12:30 PM: Lunch break
• 2:00 PM: Hacking ends and submissions are due on Devpost
• 2:10 PM: Project demos
• 2:45 PM: Judging results and closing
• 3:00 PM: Event ends

Location: [Hemphill 203, University of Louisiana Monroe]

Bring your laptop, charger and curiosity. We’ll handle the rest!