Hacktoberfest 2026: The Complete Guide (New Rules, Dates, Swag, and How to Join)

If you remember Hacktoberfest as "open four pull requests, get a T-shirt," that version is over. Hacktoberfest 2026 is a different event, and a lot of guides online are still out of date. This one covers what changed, what is confirmed, what is still unannounced, and how to get the most out of
October.

Last updated: September 28, 2026. Details are still being published, so check the official links at the bottom.

Table of contents

1. Quick facts
2. What changed in 2026 (and why)
3. Who can participate
4. Ways to take part
5. The online calendar
6. Swag: what you can and can't get
7. How to host a Fest
8. Contributing to open source anyway
9. A one-week starter plan
10. FAQ
11. Official sources

1. Quick facts

2. What changed in 2026 (and why)

Hacktoberfest started in 2014 at DigitalOcean with a simple challenge: open four pull requests in October and earn a T-shirt. It introduced a lot of people to open source.

Over time the format created a problem. Maintainers were flooded with low-effort, box-checking pull requests, and AI tools made it trivial to generate more. The organizers say the event meant to help maintainers had started to burden them.

So for 2026:

• PRs are not counted toward participation or rewards.
• The focus is on learning and building with open-source AI. The organizers give examples like writing your first open-source skills.md, building an open-source agent, or fine-tuning an open-weight model.
• The main format is community events, plus an online program.
• MLH and DEV are now full partners with DigitalOcean in running it.

Important: contributing to open source is still encouraged. It just isn't what earns Hacktoberfest swag anymore.

3. Who can participate

Anyone 13 or older, worldwide, subject to U.S. export controls and embargo restrictions. Swag shipments and Fests also exclude locations embargoed or sanctioned by the U.S.

For the online Global Hack Week (below), registration asks you to confirm you're over 18 or have a parent's permission.

4. Ways to take part

Attend an in-person Fest

A Fest is an official in-person event of up to 12 hours. Use the Find a Fest page to search by name, city, or country.

Join the online program

For people who can't reach a Fest, there is an online event running throughout October (see the calendar below).

Host your own Fest

Covered in section 7.

5. The online calendar

Confirmed on official pages:

What Global Hack Week includes, per its event page: daily live-streamed workshops on Twitch, mini-events in the MLH Community Discord, and challenges (social, technical, and design) where you earn points, including a point each time you check in to a live session. Registration asks for a GitHub username (or "N/A").

Not yet announced: the prompts for each DEV challenge, prize amounts, number of winners, and judging criteria. Each challenge page publishes its
own terms when it goes live. Read those before building anything for a prize.

Time zones: convert times yourself. For example, Global Hack Week starts at 16:00 UTC on October 9, which is 9:30 PM in India (IST).

6. Swag: what you can and can't get

Swag Envelopes ship after Hacktoberfest ends and should reach most destinations within 30 to 60 days.

To be eligible for physical swag from Global Hack Week, the registration form says you must fill out MLH's shipping address form.

7. How to host a Fest

You don't need a big team. The organizers say a meetup group, university club, or a few coworkers with a conference room is enough.

What organizers get: stickers and T-shirts for participants, programming support, and a listing in the searchable gallery on hacktoberfest.com, promoted through MLH and DEV channels.

Requirements:

• A safe, accessible in-person venue for 3 to 12 hours, with reliable Wi-Fi, power outlets, seating, and AV equipment
• MLH's OrganizerHQ for registration and check-in (Hack Days also use it for project submissions and judging)
• After the event: high-resolution photos, verified check-in data, winner records, and food/beverage receipts (Hack Days)

Funding: Hack Days can get reimbursement for approved food and drink, up to a cap. Meet Ups and corporate partner hosts aren't eligible.

Timing: apply through the host portal. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, typically confirmed in under a week. The organizer guide explains the process. September is "Preptember," the planning period before hacking begins in October.

8. Contributing to open source anyway

This section is general open-source advice, not official Hacktoberfest guidance.

The official FAQ says open source runs all year and you can start any time. If you want to contribute this month, do it in a way maintainers appreciate:

Pick the right project

• Recent commits and responsive maintainers
• A CONTRIBUTING.md you can actually follow
• A license file
• Labels like good first issue or help wanted

Pick the right issue

• Still open, and not assigned to someone else
• No competing pull request already linked
• Small enough to finish and test

Before writing code

1. Read CONTRIBUTING.md, the code of conduct, and the PR template.
2. Reproduce the problem yourself.
3. Comment on the issue to say you'd like to work on it and how you plan to approach it. Some projects require assignment first.
4. Search closed issues and PRs to avoid duplicating work.

In your pull request

• Keep it focused on one problem.
• Add or update a test that fails before your change and passes after it.
• Explain what you changed and how you verified it.
• Follow the project's AI-use policy if it has one. Don't submit code you can't explain.

Low-noise ways to help: improving documentation, fixing broken links, adding tests, triaging or reproducing bug reports, and translating docs.

9. A one-week starter plan

This section is general open-source advice, not official Hacktoberfest guidance.

Don't build a "prize entry" before the prompt is published. Build a reusable project skeleton instead.

10. FAQ

Does Hacktoberfest 2026 count pull requests?
No. The official FAQ says the event has moved away from counting them.

Is Hacktoberfest 2026 free?
Global Hack Week registration is free. Fests and DEV challenges have their own terms, so check each event page.

Do I get a T-shirt if I join online?
No. Online participants aren't eligible for T-shirts.

How do I get swag online?
Online participants can earn an official Swag Envelope by completing participation milestones, which haven't been announced yet. Global Hack Week registration also asks you to submit a shipping address for stickers and swag. Check the Global Hack Week page for what's offered.

Can I join without attending a Fest?
Yes, via the online program.

Is there an official list of participating repositories?
None has been announced. Since PRs aren't the reward mechanism this year, don't expect one.

Do I need a GPU?
Not for everything. Docs, tests, evaluation tools, and small fine-tuning experiments can run on a normal laptop, but large model work may need more hardware.

Are the cash prizes confirmed?
The DEV hub labels all five challenges as having cash prizes. Amounts haven't been announced.

11. Official sources

• Hacktoberfest 2026
• Official FAQ
• Find a Fest
• Host a Fest
• MLH announcement: "AI belongs to everyone"
• DEV Hacktoberfest challenges
• Global Hack Week: Hacktoberfest

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