On the Road with xTool MakerFest Tour

Stop #1: Mountain View, CA (2/6-2/7)

| Game Day Hype: Big Game Fans Kickoff Party

The first stop in Mountain View gave people an easy way into the MakerFest experience.

Customization stations for photo printing and tote bag printing stayed busy throughout the event. Personalized items drew attention quickly because visitors could see the process, wait a short time, and leave with something made for them. That created a steady crowd around the stations and helped the whole setup feel lively.

The live demos added another layer to the day. Thanks to our partners and creators on site, people could see the machines in action, hear real explanations, and get a better sense of what the tools could do in everyday use. The hands-on element made those conversations much easier. Instead of looking at a finished sample and guessing how it was made, visitors could watch the process and ask questions as it happened.

Stop #2: Sunnyvale, CA (2/28)

| Make & Craft Free Items at MakerNexus

Held at MakerNexus in the Bay Area, this stop took place in a nonprofit makerspace setting where people were already there for the culture of making. That changed the tone of the day. The truck felt less like a one-day setup and more like part of a space where people already come to build, share, and learn from each other.

Visitors spent time with live demos, personalization stations, and real-time fabrication conversations right out of the truck. The pace felt open and easy. People came to create, share, and connect, and that made this stop feel warmer than a standard product event.

This was also the stop where the community side of the tour came through most clearly. MakerFest ties the roadshow to 1% for the Makers, which supports nonprofits, schools, libraries, museums, and maker spaces. Sunnyvale felt close to that spirit in practice because the setting already had that sense of local purpose around it.

Stop #3: Los Angeles, CA (3/8)

| Women's Day Maker Party: Women Who Make

Built around International Women's Day, this stop moved beyond a general roadshow feel and into something more community-centered. Co-hosted with artist Domonique Brown (DomoINK), the event brought together live making, storytelling, creator collaboration, and community impact in a way that felt more intentional than a standard pop-up.

Under the theme “Her Voice, Made Visible”, the collaboration elevated emotional resonance and cultural credibility while driving meaningful engagement both onsite and digitally.

Stop #4: St. George, Utah (3/20-3/21)

| Pinners Conference: Pin It, Laser It, Sell It

Pinners Conference & Expo brought in a crowd that already lives in the world of DIY, home décor, gifting, baking, and small creative business ideas. You could feel that right away at the booth. Visitors were quick to understand the appeal of customization. They were ready to ask practical questions. A lot of them were already thinking about projects they wanted to make or products they could sell.

Live demos landed quickly. Personalized pieces made sense right away. Many visitors stopped to explore, ask questions, and take home their own customized items. Thanks to all for being part of it, the excitement and energy made this event truly special.

Stop #5: Austin, TX (3/27-3/29)

| Handbuilt Motorcycle Show

Timed with MotoGP at Circuit of the Americas, this stop placed xTool inside the Handbuilt Motorcycle Show, a gathering known for builders, fabricators, and custom motorcycle culture. This was a crowd paying close attention to process, materials, fabrication, and whether a tool made sense in a real shop environment.

The conversations were more technical. The interest was more specific. People wanted to understand how tools fit into real work, not just what they looked like in a demo. For people who care about this world, the stop felt closer to a real maker gathering than a general brand activation.

Stop #6: Austin, TX (4/1)

| Meet-up with xTool Squad at Austin

The second Austin stop was smaller, and that changed the pace in a good way. For anyone who prefers a meetup feel over a crowded event floor, this stop showed a quieter side of the tour.

The xTool Squad meetup gave people more time to stay in conversation. Visitors asked about real use cases. They talked through what they were already building and where a machine might fit into that work. The setting left more room for follow-up questions and closer looks.

At this stop, people got to see MetalFab, Apparel Printer, P3, F2 Ultra UV, and the retail solution. The value of the event came from how direct it felt. Visitors could spend more time around the tools and leave with a clearer sense of how they might use them in real settings.

Stop #8: Lakewood, WA (4/16)

| SkillsUSA Welding Competition

SkillsUSA put MakerFest in front of a more skills-focused crowd.

At the SkillsUSA Welding Competition, the setting was smaller, with around 100 to 120 people on site, but the conversations were practical from the start. People were already there for hands-on trade work, so it was a good setting for showing the machines to an audience that was used to working with tools and process.

Stop #10: Los Angeles, CA (4/25)

| Meet & Create at Renegade Craft LA

Renegade Craft LA brought in a highly creative crowd and gave the tour one of its liveliest weekends so far.

From the moment the doors opened, people kept stopping by to ask questions, watch demos, and spend time looking closely at what the machines could actually make. WonderPress drew a lot of attention ahead of its official launch. Many visitors were seeing it in person for the first time, exploring the different modules, and thinking through what they might make with it in their own work.

The laser cutting and engraving demos kept people gathered around the truck as ideas turned into finished pieces in real time. That live element made it easy for people to stop, watch, and step into the experience.

One of the best parts of the weekend was the mix of people who came through. We met longtime xTool users, first-time visitors, designers, makers, and small business owners, all stopping by to ask questions and get hands-on time with the setup. Hearing someone say, "This is my first xTool experience," gets right to the heart of why we bring MakerFest on the road. We want more people to see the tools in person, ask questions, and get hands-on time in a setting that feels open and easy to step into.

A special thanks to @craftykari for bringing WonderPress to life on site and making the demos feel approachable, clear, and fun to watch.