Code Club Hack Day
Hop tu Naa Hack Day Coming to Code Club this October
The Isle of Man Code Club is inviting students, graduates, and technology enthusiasts to spend their Hop tu Naa creating something new at Code Club's first Hack Day on Saturday the 31st of October.
The free event, sponsored by local technology organisation Continent 8, will take place at Code Club from 9am until 8pm, bringing together people aged 13 and over for a day of creativity, experimentation and technology. The event is being held as part of Hacktoberfest 2026, an international celebration of open-source software and the people who contribute to it. The event is open to anyone aged 13 or over who can code, including secondary school and sixth-form students, college and university students, graduates and working professionals
A hack day, also commonly known as a mini hackathon, is an event where people come together for a set period to turn an idea into a working project such as a website, mobile application, or an artificial experiment. Despite the name, “hacking” in this context does not mean breaking into computers or systems. Instead, participants are encouraged to take an idea and rapidly turn it into something they can demonstrate by the end of the day.
At the Hop tu Naa Hack Day, participants will have around seven hours to work on their projects, working individually or as part of a team. The event will have a Hop tu Naa theme, giving participants the opportunity to incorporate the annual Manx tradition into their projects.
There will also be a particular focus on open-source artificial intelligence, with prizes planned around the use of open-source AI technologies. Open-source software is software whose source code is made available for others to inspect, modify and share, allowing communities around the world to collaborate on building and improving technology.
Adam Drummond, event lead for the Hack Day, said, “I’m incredibly excited to bring Hacktoberfest to the Isle of Man. Our event is designed to be accessible to everyone. We are encouraging anyone aged 13 or over with an interest in technology, creativity or problem-solving to take part. Experienced developers and other technology professionals are equally welcome to bring their knowledge and work alongside students and other newcomers.”
Justin Cosnett, Chief Product Officer at Continent 8, added “Hacktoberfest embodies what I love about the Isle of Man - a community that comes together, shares knowledge and builds for the future. I’m delighted that Continent 8 Technologies can support the Code Club and help encourage the Island’s next generation of technology talent.”
Rather than being a traditional classroom-style coding course, the Hack Day will focus on learning by doing. Participants will be given the freedom to decide what they want to create and how they want to create it, with Code Club also providing access to additional hardware for projects where available.
Code Club hopes the Hop tu Naa Hack Day will provide an opportunity for the Island’s technology community to come together, while also giving younger participants the chance to experience a hackathon alongside university graduates and working professionals.
Further information:
Winner of the Award for Education and Learning Initiative of the Year at the 2025 Awards for Excellence, Code Club is a Manx educational charity (number 1322) dedicated to empowering individuals in the use of emerging technology. They aim to provide a focal point for people of all ages to develop digital skills, share their knowledge and experience, and to teach others how to leverage the technology that surrounds them. If you are interested in helping with sponsorship, please contact sponsorship@codeclub.im
Hacktoberfest is a month-long celebration of open-source software. It’s a global event that encourages developers, students, and tech enthusiasts of all skill levels to contribute to open-source projects.
Founded 28 years ago, Continent 8 is a leading provider of cutting-edge managed IT solutions designed for the global iGaming and online sports betting industry. Featuring a world-leading portfolio – including a private network of over 100 locations, ultra-low-latency connectivity, managed cloud, 24/7 cyber-defence and AI-ready infrastructure solutions – Continent 8 empowers customers to deploy secure, resilient and highly reliable infrastructure at scale. Its carrier-grade network powers and protects many of the biggest iGaming brands across the globe.