Foo Fest has just the place for the life-sized dragon made of wrenches you built last summer and never knew what to do with: Rhode Island’s 7th Annual Maker Faire, where a whole bunch of other people from around the state will be exhibiting some of their most beloved homemade projects, too!
The first Maker Faire started in 2005 in San Mateo, Calif, with the gathering of hobbyists, scientists, artists, educators and craftsmen. Now, this past year’s annual event showcased over 1,000 makers, with 130,000 people in attendance to see what they made, explored and learned.
The event dedicates itself to sharing ideas and connecting people interested in finding out what creative endeavors members of the community are taking on in the DIY realm. Since that first Maker Faire, events have been held globally in places such as Tokyo, Oslo and Rome.
In reaction to these large-scale events, more than 100 independent Mini Maker Faires have popped up across the world. These faires are independent of the flagship events in California and New York and bring together smaller, more isolated communities, exposing the unique ideas that flourish in those areas.
So it just makes sense to have a Maker Faire in Providence, right? Believe it or not, you’re not the first one to think that!
Want to hear what a Tooba sounds like? (And no, I don’t mean a tuba.) Want to see what L3D, the interactive cube is? Want to know what “Dizzy” the Racing Sculpture can do? Lucky you, because your answers can be found, as well as booths on a hodgepodge of other ideas, at this year’s faire!
RI’s Makers Faire will take over One Hasbro Place, where you can see some of Hasbro’s toys and what lies underneath their animatronics’ skin, as well as the entirety of Adrian Hall Way, where booths of all sorts, as well as food, drink and music will be set up. Lastly, at AS220 and its black box, you can find a whole bunch of electronic gizmos to play with when you’re ready to get your geek on.
So get your gadget-gawking, art-appreciating, tech-tinkering self to Foo Fest to see all Makers Faire has to offer on Saturday, August 8 from 1 – 8pm. Tickets are available for purchase online and at the event.
