By Krysten Brenlla
Miami Tech Month has kicked off with a splash – from happy hours to events, we have had no shortage of Miami Tech fun across South Florida (with more to come!). And, this year, Maker Faire Miami is joining the fun again, with new exhibitions from local, national, and international artists, engineers, creators and crafters.
Taking place this weekend, April 13-14, at the Watsco Center on the University of Miami campus starting at 10 a.m., 130 local, national, and international makers will be displaying their projects for a weekend full of family-friendly fun, exploration and creativity.
“We are thrilled to be celebrating our 11th edition Maker Faire Miami, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things that our makers will be showcasing this year,” said Mario Cruz, the lead organizer of Maker Faire Miami, in an announcement sent to Refresh Miami. “Maker Faire is our flagship event, and it’s designed to celebrate, educate, and inspire our local maker community. Bring the whole family – you won’t want to miss it!”
The all-volunteer-organized Maker Faire Miami has transformed from the “Mini Maker Faire,” launched in 2013 at the LAB Miami, into a major weekend affair, attracting hundreds of creators and STEM enthusiasts from across the country. Alongside 130 interactive exhibits this year, including activities like “Learn To Solder” with FIU Women in Computer Science, screen printing a personalized Maker Faire Miami T-shirt, and thrilling Combat Robot battles, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with nationally-renowned figures in STEM.
This year’s featured speakers include:
- Jen Schachter, the multimedia maker and mastermind behind the giant light-up letters for the Obama White House, the interactive puzzle hunt launched during the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, and a crowd-sourced replica of the Apollo 11 hatch for the National Air and Space Museum.
- Chris Bathgate, the self-taught machinist and machine builder, and author of “The Machinist Sculptor: Industry Meets Craft.”
- Jen Fox, also known as Jen Foxbot, founder of FoxBot Industries, an organization dedicated to providing an arts-based approach to STEM education, and a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft where she advises on corporate strategy and leads creative work on AI and engineering systems.
- Hanari Solomon, an award-winning cosplayer with more than 15 years of experience in cosplay, bringing to life more than 100 imaginative costumes.
- Anya Freeman, founder and CEO of Kind Designs, a social enterprise that uses 3D-printing to print living seawalls that mimic coral reefs and mangroves to help combat rising sea levels (check out a spotlight on Anya and Kind Designs by Refresh Miami’s Riley Kaminer here).
In addition to nationally renowned speakers, Maker Faire Miami is setting up an exclusive exhibition that will take guests back in time, featuring a collection of vintage computers, such as the TRS-80 Model III, the Atari, the classic Apple II, and the first Apple Macintosh.
“Maker Faire Miami is designed to celebrate, educate, and inspire our local maker community,” said Tom Pupo, Executive Director of Moonlighter FabLab, and co-producer of Maker Faire Miami. “We are so grateful to all the sponsors who supported – and to all of the volunteers that help ensure a smooth and successful event for everyone to enjoy.”
Single day ticket passes to attend are $19 per adult, and $16 per child ages 7 to 12. 2-day ticket passes for adults (ages 13 and up) are $25, and two-day ticket passes for children (ages 7 to 12) are $18. To learn more about Maker Faire Miami, such as how to volunteer or attend this year’s Faire, visit their website at: https://miami.makerfaire.com/. To view the full exhibitions and schedule of events, visit: https://miami.makerfaire.com/maker-faire-miami-home/makers-exhibits/.
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