Get your fix of gadgets and geekery at Nashville Mini Maker Faire
More than 70 maker-exhibitors and programs scheduled for Sept. 12, at Adventure Science Center
NASHVILLE, Aug. 31, 2015—Virtual reality, 3D printing, robot combat and more take the stage at this year’s Nashville Mini Maker Faire on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Today organizers announced a full lineup of makers, tech enthusiasts, hobbyists and artisans who will showcase their talents and DIY innovations in an expansive outdoor exhibition at Adventure Science Center.
Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children. Tickets and more information are available at nashvillemakerfaire.com.
“We’re thrilled to be hosting this one-of-a-kind festival for the third year in a row, in partnership with MakeNashville,” said Susan Duvenhage, president and CEO of Adventure Science Center. “It’s truly an experience like no other, and this year’s event has even more to get excited about!”
New to the Faire in 2015 is Robot Combat – live demonstrations of mean, lean, one-pound fighting machines going head-to-head in a fully enclosed arena, presented by the Middle Tennessee Robotic Arts Society. Visitors will watch as saw blades collide with spinning blades and wedge-style bots work to deflect and conquer.
This year’s Faire will also include a large-scale Power Racing Series exhibition race, which features kid-size, adult-driven electric vehicles that are modified for high performance and speed.
Exhibits & Activities
3D printing
Star Wars props & costumes
Virtual reality technology
High altitude ballooning
The Majestic Calliopatronium
Kids tinkering zones
Origami
Screen printing
Steampunk gear
Puppetry
Digital projection dome
Mr. B’s Rap App
Live music
…and much, much more!
A variety of Nashville’s most popular food trucks will be on-site as well.
“Our goal in presenting the Mini Maker Faire is to empower young people to learn new skills and experiment through hands-on experiences. It not only showcases the enormous talent of the Nashville maker community but also helps motivate us to never stop creating, building and inventing,” Duvenhage added.
A large community event brings many expenses, and organizers are asking for the public’s help in raising funds for this year’s Faire via its Indiegogo campaign. Donations of any amount can be made at www.indiegogo.com/projects/3rd-annual-nashville-mini-maker-faire.
In a movement sweeping across the country, makers have brought more visibility to personal manufacturing and the DIY mindset that often takes place only in shops, garages and on kitchen tables. Mini Maker Faires enable these diverse projects and ideas to emerge into public view. Maker Faires bring together enthusiasts and inventors with innovative technology tools to drive progress in manufacturing, engineering, industrial design, hardware technology and STEM education.
The 2015 Nashville Mini Maker Faire is presented by Adventure Science Center and MakeNashville and is independently organized and operated under license from Maker Media, Inc. Sponsored by Anode, Metro Nashville Arts Commission, USCutter, Builders First Source, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, Dana Holding Corp., GISBiz, Griffin Technology, Initial State, Jive!, Lightning 100, NovaCopy, Emma, FlagPros, Liberty Party Rental, Makers on the Move, and The Terrace Catering.
Event Logistics
Nashville Mini Maker Faire will take place rain-or-shine outside at Adventure Science Center. Parking for the Faire will be at the Greer Stadium parking lot (534 Chestnut St.), with free shuttle service provided. Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for children 18 and under and are available on-site or in advance at www.adventuresci.org/makerfaire.
A limited number of parking spaces will be available at the Science Center on a first-come, first-served basis for guests with disabilities. The free shuttle service from the parking lot is also handicap-accessible.
Portable restrooms will be available.
Guests who wish to visit the Science Center on Sept. 12 may purchase a general admission ticket ($14 for adults/teens and $11 for children), which includes access to the Faire.
Event logistics and schedule are subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information, visit www.adventuresci.org/makerfaire.
About Adventure Science Center
For nearly 70 years, Adventure Science Center has brought science to life for students, teachers and families in Middle Tennessee, Southern Kentucky, Northern Alabama and beyond. The Center offers hands-on, interactive exhibits and engaging programs that encourage visitors of all ages to explore how science is relevant in their lives. Adventure Science Center encourages imagination and curiosity in a fun, dynamic learning environment. It is located at 800 Fort Negley Blvd. in Nashville. For more information, call (615) 862-5160 or visit www.adventuresci.org.
About MakeNashville
MakeNashville provides the myriad of local maker groups a common set of communication and event resources. It is also chartered with the task of coordinating an annual Mini Maker Faire as well as providing coordination support for individual maker events. For more information, visit MakeNashville.org.
About Maker Faire
Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth – a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker Movement. It’s a place where people of all ages and backgrounds gather together to show what they are making and share what they are learning.
Maker Faire celebrated 131 Faires in 2014 alone and has reached over 2.3 million attendees globally since it launched in San Mateo, CA, in 2006, less than a year after the publication of the first Make: magazine in 2005. The ninth annual Maker Faire Bay Area welcomed some 1,100 makers and 130,000 attendees. World Maker Faire New York, the other flagship event, has grown in five years to 830-plus Makers and 85,000 attendees. Atlanta, Detroit, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Silver Springs, San Diego, Paris, Rome, Oslo, Newcastle (UK), Berlin, Hannover, Trondheim, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo, Singapore, and Shenzhen host our “featured” larger-scale Maker Faires, and community-driven, independently organized Mini Maker Faires inspire and ignite creative communities everywhere around the United States and internationally.
Located in San Francisco, CA, Maker Media has been widely credited with jumpstarting the worldwide Maker Movement, which has been a transforming force in innovation, culture, and education. In addition to publishing Make: magazine and producing Maker Faire, Maker Media develops “getting started” kits and books it sells through its Maker Shed store as well as other retail channels. Maker Media is based in San Francisco, and has offices in Sebastopol, CA and at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Krinks, Adventure Science Center
(615) 401-5059
jkrinks@adventuresci.org