Attention, all you edtech-y, circuits and gadgetry-loving inventors of your own future! The annual Bay Area Maker Faire has officially been announced, and it's revving up to be one heck of an event for expert makers and newbies alike.
Why? Because Maker Faire has announced that this year's soirée will celebrate the "Year of the Maker"--a culmination of the "new heights" that the maker movement has reached across the globe. On May 17 and May 18, the San Mateo Event Center will host booths, speakers, sessions, and more, all inspired by the Maker movement.
To "make" you into the perfect attendee, here's a few tips for what to check out prior to the Maker Faire.
Applications are due April 11 for Intel's day-long 'Maker' workshop for teachers. Sign up now!
For teachers
Heads up, teachers! In partnership with the Maker Education Initiative, or “Maker Ed”, Intel--the "father" of the microprocessor in zillions of PCs-- is hosting the first annual Making Possibilities Workshop for educators on Thursday, May 15. The event will be a day-long affair at Intel's headquarters in Santa Clara.
At this workshop, educators will have the opportunity to explore various approaches to implementing "making" in the classroom, and use it as a strategy to engage students in STEM and design. Applications are now open and due April 11. Sign up now!
For newbies
If you're curious about what you may see, currently listed attractions include a 25-foot-tall mechanical octopus made from found objects and scrap iron that spews fire from its tentacles while eight eyes pop in and out of its head. Read Maker Faire representatives' interview with artist Duane Flatmo. Or sign up for MAKE magazine and get a taste of what you'll see before May.
For potential volunteers
MAKE Magazine, the organization responsible for the planning and hosting of the event, also encourages visitors to sign up for or engage with the following activities:
- Join the Maker Faire Street Team! You can earn two adult tickets to Maker Faire Bay Area 2014 worth $80.00, all in exchange for sharing news about the event. Join the team here.
- For all CAD and CNC makers, submit a design for a new type of Info Kiosk to be built at Maker Faire Bay Area 2014. If you're the lucky design winner, you'll fly to the Bay Area for free! Read more here.
The Bay Area Maker Faire will take place at the San Mateo Event Center in San Mateo, CA on Saturday, May 17 (10 am–8 pm) and Sunday, May 18 (10 am-6 pm).
And yes, we encourage you to have all possible "make" puns ready and rarin' to go for the event. You've got to "make" a good impression, after all.
