By Christie Bender
The Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire is back on Aug. 19 and 20 for its fourth and biggest year yet. Held at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and nearby Grand Valley State University’s Hall of Engineering, Maker Faire combines a traditional science fair with innovation, technology and creativity.
Maker Faire is a community celebration of people who make things from prototyping and inventing, to those with unique trade skills, and more. Each booth offers a unique, hands-on opportunity to see how things are made and to learn how to do it on your own. Visitors to the Grand Rapids Maker Faire will see more than 100 maker booths ranging from robotics and 3D printing, to drone races, glass blowing, blacksmithing, wood turning, and even be a part of an iron pour during the two-day event! For more information and to see all of this year’s makers, visit GrandRapids.MakerFaire.com.
The Faire will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19 and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20.
Grand Rapids Maker Faire tickets are on sale now. Two-day passes are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $8 for children, and single day passes are $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and $5 for children. Kent County residents receive discounted tickets and Museum members are only $1 per day! Visit GrandRapids.MakerFaire.com for tickets and more information.
Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire gathers all-ages to learn and teach about new ideas and collaborations! Interactive stations and inventions will be showcased by tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors. All of these “makers” come to Maker Faire to show what they have made and to share what they have learned. Visitors to this year’s Grand Rapids Maker Faire can expect to see and interact with more than 150 maker booths.
Featured Maker
This year the Grand Rapids Maker Faire will see a special Maker, the Chicago Crucible, doing the first ever iron pour on the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s lawn! Visitors are able to purchase a small cast to carve, and see the casts be poured during the event on Saturday, August 19! The casts will cool overnight, and be available for pick up at the event on Sunday, August 20!
The 4th annual Grand Rapids Maker Faire is sponsored by MAKE, DTE Energy Foundation, JR Automation Technologies LLC, Wood News Radio, Allegra Marketing, Print and Mail, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Valley State University, Kent Intermediate School District, Lloyd Mandelbaum Director at Chicago Crucible LLC, James Foerch, Koops, Inc., Open Systems Technologies and WGVU Public Media.
The Grand Rapids Maker Faire is being organized by a collaborative committee chaired by DTE Energy Scotty Kehoe, along with the GR Makers Mark Van Holstyn, The Geek Group Lis Bokt, Grand Rapids Community College Moss Ingram, Grand Valley State University Dr. Wael Moktar and Samhita Rhodes, Kent District Library Craig Buno, Kent Intermediate School District Rick Mushing and Ebiri Nkugba, Camp Newaygo Scott Lakin and Engine Matt Gryczan, Michigan Crossroads Council- Boy Scouts of America Bridget Knight, WMCAT Trudy Ngo-Brown and the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
Follow Grand Rapids Maker Faire on Twitter @makerfaireGR and on Facebook at facebook.com/makerfairegr.
Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire is independently organized and operated under license from Maker Media, Inc.
