Illustration by Hanin Nazifa
The third annual Maker’s Fair at UWB was held on Feb. 11, 2026, from 12 PM to 4PM at the ARC Overlook and at the North Creek Events Center.
The event was led by Student Engagement & Activities staff and co-founders Pauline Tolentino and Jireh Reduque. This year, Makerspace Manager, Jesus Govela, was also part of the planning process and oversaw creative workshops like laser engraving prior to the event. Vendor stands filled both rooms with students, faculty, alumni and community members showcasing their talents with hand-made products which included soap, portraits, stickers and more.
There were more than 80 vendors who showcased their products at the event. One vendor which stood out to me was Washington Moments, a photo art collection founded by Mark Kochanski, an Associate Teaching Professor at UW Bothell for the computer science department. All his photos were turned into 500-piece puzzles. Some of these puzzles include local Washington monuments like Snoqualmie Falls and even photos from the UW Seattle and Bothell campus.
Another vendor that stood out was Sunitas Handcrafted LLC, which sold handcrafted artisan soaps with natural ingredients such as honey, milk, tumeric and more. There were a variety of scents including oatmeal and goat milk, peppermint candy, peach, as well as cool breeze. Baking soda deodorants were also on sale, giving buyers hygiene care products with unique handmade soaps and deodorant.
A variety of food trucks appeared at the event such as Fil Up, which sold lumpia, a Filipino style egg roll. The egg rolls had two options: chicken or beef served with sweet and sour sauce at the LBA curb. Sugar + Spoon also made an appearance at the ARC lobby, serving safe-to-eat cookie dough. Off the Rez served various types of tacos including beef, chicken or veggie taco options.
Inside the North Creek Events Center was Swanky Scoop, serving dairy and vegan ice cream in a cup or in a waffle cone. Students who attended the event were given a wristband with two tickets, which could be used to acquire two of the six food options that appeared at the event.
Attendees of the Maker’s Fair included students, faculty, alumni and community makerswho showcased their unique products. It was a great way for students to support local small businesses and for these businesses to gain more exposure in their local communities. Students also had the opportunity to get involved by volunteering or vend to showcase their own creations. The next Maker’s Fair will be held on Feb. 10, 2027. Stay tuned for when that day approaches!
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