Maker Faire is back in Grand Rapids on August 20 & 21 for its third year, at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and nearby Grand Valley State University’s Hall of Engineering. Combining a traditional science fair with innovation and engineering, community makers will showcase what they have made and share what they have learned.
The Faire will be open 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday, August 20 and from 12 pm to 5 pm Sunday, August 21.
Tickets for a single day pass are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and $3 for children. For a two-day pass, tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and $5 for children. Purchase by Friday, August 12 and receive $2 off each ticket.
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. Visitors to this year’s Grand Rapids Maker Faire can expect to see and interact with more than 150 maker booths.
GRPM Members are free, but tickets are required and recommended to reserve ahead of time. Tickets can be purchased or reserved by going here or by calling 616.929.1700.
The Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire is being organized by the GR Makers, The Geek Group, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Valley State University and the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Tekton Tools and Cascade Engineering are sponsoring the event.
From whence doth Maker Faire come? The people responsible for MAKE magazine started it in 2006 in San Mateo, Calif. Since then, the event has appeared in Austin, Detroit, and New York City, and Mini Maker Faires have sprouted up throughout the United States — with events in Ann Arbor, Sebastopol, Aspen, Kansas City, and Boston, and in major international cities such as Tokyo and Paris. It’s kind of a big deal.
Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire is independently organized and operated under license from Maker Media, Inc.
Follow Grand Rapids Maker Faire on Twitter @makerfaireGR, and on its Facebook page.
