KANSAS CITY, MO -- (Marketwire) -- 04/19/11 -- Union Station announced that it will host the first Maker Faire: Kansas City on Saturday, June 25 and June 26, 2011. Maker Faire is a two-day, family-friendly event that attracts thousands of people to celebrate the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) movement.
This broad-based community festival encompasses Scientists, Engineers, Students, Welders, Software Developers, Hackers, Circuit Benders, Musicians, Crafters, Artists And Food Artisans of all types: individuals and communities of people drawn together by a common delight in the magic of tinkering, hacking, creating and reusing materials and technology.
Maker Faires demonstrate all kinds of creations that people make -- from new technology and electronic gizmos and robots to urban farming and "slow-made" foods to homemade clothes, quilts and sculptures. Kansas City's weekend-long event is anticipated to include more than 100 Makers. Student Makers, either at the K-12 or college level, are encouraged to participate and attend. School projects, like FIRST Robotics and Project Lead the Way, will be grouped together so attendees can see the types of robots and engineering projects that high school students are creating.
"Kansas City is joining the roster of the emerging Maker Faire movement, and we are thrilled that Union Station will host this event on June 25-26, 2011," said George Guastello, Union Station president and CEO. "Organizing this Maker Faire involves many organizations throughout our region, and we are pleased to see so many diverse groups coming together to support, organize and participate in this exciting event."
Maker Faire: Kansas City is an event guided by the staff of MAKE Magazine and the Maker Faire, and is organized by Kansas City-based organizations. The goal is to bring together Makers, Crafters, Inventors, Scientists, Artists, and everyone else for a faire full of fun and inspiration. This movement started about five years ago in San Mateo, Calif. by the publishers of Make Magazine.
"Maker Faire establishes relationships that did not previously exist... between ideas, between things, between people," said Dale Dougherty, editor and publisher of Make Magazine. "The most important thing Maker Faire does is establish those relationships among makers."
The Call for Makers is Open. Maker Faire: Kansas City is accepting applications through May 6, 2011 for Makers to exhibit their creations. Those interested in being a Maker exhibitor need to go to the Maker Faire: Kansas City website to fill out an application. All Makers must apply and be accepted to exhibit at the Faire. There is no cost for the Makers who have a booth at the event, unless the Maker is a Commercial Maker/Vendor who plans to sell products at the booth. In that case, there is a $100 Commercial Maker/Vendor fee.
A Call for Musicians also is open until May 6, 2011. Musicians will not be paid, but the event provides great exposure for individual musicians and/or bands. Musicians that have CDs can sell them at a music booth at Maker Faire. Those interested in performing should fill out the Call for Musicians form on the website.
In addition to the exhibit booths, a number of special attractions and speakers are being lined up for this fun weekend festival. One highlight will be the Power Wheels Racing Series -- adults who race suped-up children's Power Wheels cars. Updates about the featured events will be posted on the website and through a blog on the site as they are confirmed.
A variety of sponsorship levels are available for any organization that is interested in supporting Maker Faire: Kansas City or who want to have a booth to highlight a company's products or services. For details on sponsorship and/or vendor exhibit space, go to the sponsorship section on the website.
Daily Ticket prices for Maker Faire: Kansas City will be $10, $7 for Union Station members. This price includes admission to Science City for the day. Tickets will be available online soon or can be bought at the event.
A block of hotel rooms for Maker Faire participants and attendees are available at the Kansas City Marriott on the Country Club Plaza for $139 a night until May 27. Due to a major convention and other events happening in Kansas City that weekend, many hotels are sold out.
To learn more about Maker Faire: Kansas City and to fill out the Call for Makers and/or the Call for Musicians applications, go to www.makerfairekc.com. The site also will include updates of attractions and speakers at the event through a blog on the website. This event is hosted by Union Station, with support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the staff of Make Magazine. For questions about Maker Faire: Kansas City, contact infomakerfairekc.com.
About Maker Faire Maker Faires, currently in their fifth year, began in the San Francisco Bay Area at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. In 2010, the two-day San Mateo Faire attracted more than 80,000 people and featured 1,000 makers. In 2010, two new venues were added to the Maker Faire roster with events held at The Henry Ford Museum in Detroit and at the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) in New York City. In New York, the event was dubbed World Maker Faire, in recognition of the diversity of Makers and audience who participated. A dazzling array of 530 Maker projects, with teams totaling 1,500 Makers descended on NYSCI. Both cities had more than 25,000 visitors attend the Maker Faires.