Maker Faire: What Is It?

[livingdeb]

Today I saw a poster for Swap-O-Rama. Part of it is this: You bring clothes you don't want and can take home other people's clothes they don't want. Another part is that you can go to workshops on refashioning--how to take clothes that don't work for you and turn them into clothes that do. There is a fashion show where people show off re-fashioned items. And there's more. This sounds very interesting and I want to go. And some of you guys do, too. Empirical Question? Raaga123?

Searching for more information online, I found Swap-O-Rama which has more details and shows that there will be one in Austin October 21-22 at the Travis County Fairgrounds (which I've never heard of before, but which is apparently pretty close to my house and on one of the bus routes I often use).

Searching more, I found that this is part of Maker Faire, "a newfangled fair that brings together science, art, craft and engineering plus music in a fun, energized, and exciting public forum. The aim is to inspire people of all ages to roll up their sleeves and become makers." This actually looks intimidating and overwhelming to me, and thus less fun than I had originally thought. Isn't that weird? But now even more of you want to go. Chikuru? Grieve?

That page has a random picture on it, and the first one I saw was of a project I've seen before: the, um, tube with holes along one side out of which come flames that dance to music. So that gives you an idea of the range of what is going on. Here's a list of makers they have so far.

The bad news is that Maker Faire costs $20 to $25 to get in, per day, unless you volunteer for at least eight hours or have something you can demonstrate, in which case there is barely still time to send in an entry. Also, you can't bring food in, so it will cost you even more (or you'll have to run back to your car whenever you want to eat.

I think I'm going to blow some big bucks and check it out.

Comments

[sheenaqotj.livejournal.com]

There are a bunch of people from the Burner community participating in it. I think silona is playing a big part in running it.

I'd like to go check it out.

[sallini.livejournal.com]

It sounds fun, but I will have to decide whether it is Operation Cheap Ass compatible and hope that I will not actually be spending that weekend furiously completing my attitude change research presentation for Tuesday (who am I kidding? yes I will).

[livingdeb.livejournal.com]

I can't speak for you, but after ending that entry and going to bed, I suddenly realized this is probably much more fun than Six Flags, which is probably comparably priced. So I'm doing it.

I don't think I have anything good to demo (my coolest, most awesome creation of all time is a small quilt), plus I think those guys are spending plenty of money on supplies to let us participate with them, and I think 8 hours of volunteering is too high a price to pay, so I'm going to pay with actual cash.

The difference is that I feel comparatively rich, so I can afford to spend little piles of money on things that are interesting. Also, I'm positive I won't have any homework.