September 17, 2026

It’s almost time to cue the festivities

In just a month, communities all around the world will be celebrating International Repair Day with their own take on ‘repair festivals’. The global map is still filling up with events, but for now, here’s what some have in store.

In Austria…

Across a whopping 17 days, re:pair Festival will be taking place in Vienna. They have a truly inspiring range of activities happening across the city including: textile workshops where people can try their hand at activities like radical sock mending and braiding t-shirts into new textiles; furniture restoration demonstrations; a class for children to learn how to make jewellery from waste; talks on topics like ‘Repair Cafés as a symbol of lived sustainability’ and ‘Circular economy – utopia or already part of everyday life?’; musical instrument repair clinics; and of course a repair cafe!

In the Philippines…

As part of Design Week Baguio, Vivita Philippines are collaborating with Mt. Cloud Bookshop to hold a Repair Fair. They are coming prepared with 3D printers, sewing machines, and soldering kits and are ready to help visitors learn repair their stuff.

We believe in the capability and creativity of everyone, especially the younger generation. Empowering the next generation of problem solvers is what we're here for, and a Repair Fair is one of the most hands-on ways we know to do it.

– Vivita Philippines

In England…

The Restart Project is holding London’s first Festival of Fixing in collaboration with City of London and the Barbican. Featuring workshops with Team Repair, London School of Solarpunk, Bridget Harvey and more, the iconic London venue will be filled with chances for people to learn new repair skills, make art from ‘waste’, make zines around themes of repairing our communities, and get involved in campaigning for the right to repair. A photography exhibition will also bring additional inspiration for a more repairable world and how we can get there.

In Portsmouth, Portsmouth Repair Café and Library of Things are coming together to hold the first edition of Circle Fest which is a ‘celebration of repairing, sharing, reusing, repurposing and recycling.’ The event will offer everything from a clothes swap, to a repair café, an opportunity to chat to repair experts, and to hand in old gadgets for a Tech Amnesty.

Not far away in Bath, Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution, Dorothy House, and Share and Repair will be holding FixFest. They say that “whether you’re an experienced mender, a curious beginner or simply looking for a fun day out, FixFest has something for everyone” and are encouraging visitors to rethink the way that we consume through activities like: sustainability for children; a chance to contribute to a communal quilt; and a collaboration with Bath & West Community Energy.

In Scotland…

On the opposite end of the UK, Pianodrome are holding ‘Make It Yourself’ Festival in Edinburgh. Visitors will be invited to participate in a range of workshops, music, and art exhibitions all in the name of sustainability, creativity and collaboration.

'Make it Yourself'is a participatory festival which invites the local community to become directly involved in co-creating their own cultural experiences.

– Pianodrome

In Ukraine…

Ecological News and the Black Sea Maritime Professional College will be holding a repair festival in an underground shelter in Chornomorsk. Their hope is that Repair Day will be “an opportunity to remind everyone: ‘I can fix, change, or create something’ and restore a sense of personal agency and confidence in one’s own abilities.” The festival will include: a Repair Garage featuring demonstrations on repairing bicycles, electronics, and clothing; a “Take Me Apart” experimental zone where visitors can explore the inner workings of everyday objects; a “Do It Yourself” area with various creative workshops; and a “Second Life for Things” exhibition showcasing the transformation process of various items.

In Italy…

Repair Cafe Pavia will collaborate with the University of Pavia to hold a repair festival featuring workshops on everything from soldering to bike repair and maintenance to mending and upcycling clothes to Kintzugi!

And it’s not too late to get involved!

We know that there are still plenty more events being planned around the world. Keep an eye out for our event highlights and let us know if you’re planning a repair event for your local community — no matter how big or how small — by adding it to the map!