What is a Repair Café?

Repair Cafés are free meeting places and they're all about repairing things (together).

Do you have items in your house that need fixing or mending but you don't know how to fix them yourself?  Bring your broken items such as toasters, lamps, clothing, jewelry, bicycles, vacuum cleaners or small appliances to the Transition Howard County Repair Café!  

At the Repair Café, you will sit with one of our volunteer fixers who will evaluate and work with you to fix your broken item.  You are encouraged to participate in the repair process and learn how to do simple repairs yourself.  You cannot drop off items and come back later to pick them up.  Volunteers will also be available to answer questions about repairs on items that are too large or not possible to bring in.  

Note: We do not repair the following items:  smart phones, tablets, and gas powered tools.

Please register to bring broken items to one of our events here.

Here is our 2026 schedule:

• April 11 from 10am - 2pm at GreenFest at Howard Community College

• May 9 from 2pm - 4pm at Freetown Farm, 8000 Harriet Tubman Lane, Columbia, MD

• June 13 from 2pm - 4pm at Freetown Farm, 8000 Harriet Tubman Lane, Columbia, MD

• No Repair Café in July

• August 8 from 2pm - 5pm at East Columbia 50+ Center

• September 12 from 2pm - 4pm at Freetown Farm, 8000 Harriet Tubman Lane, Columbia, MD

• October 10 from 2pm - 4pm at Freetown Farm, 8000 Harriet Tubman Lane, Columbia, MD

• November 14 from 2pm - 4pm at Freetown Farm, 8000 Harriet Tubman Lane, Columbia, MD

If you would like to help out at a future Transition Repair Café  either as a fixer or as a volunteer, please email us at transitionhoco@gmail.com.   

Important note about our Repair Cafés

Sometimes there can be long wait times.  We work with people on a first come, first served basis so it is a good idea to come at the beginning of the event if you can.  Registering your item helps us to plan for what tools will be needed.  It does not guarantee a particular time slot.