Events
Calling all Makers! We want you at 2nd Annual Santa Cruz Mini Maker Faire!
By Zachary Roberts
Producer, Santa Cruz Mini Maker Faire
Special to Santa Cruz Tech Beat
January 12, 2017 — Santa Cruz, CA
(Photo above: The Dragon of Eden, an Airstream trailer converted into a seven-headed, fire-breathing dragon, on display at the inaugural Santa Cruz Mini Maker Faire in 2016. Source: Santa Cruz Mini Maker Faire)
“So go ahead, fold that paper airplane. Record that song. Program that arduino to control a robot giraffe. Make hot pepper sauce, a fire-shooting glove, or a TV that only plays forest fires. Making can be light hearted and whimsical, or it can be life-changing.” — Zachary Roberts
You are a maker.
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Yes, you — the person reading this. Maybe you’ve made amazing white chocolate macadamia cookies or melted crayons in the toaster to make wax. Maybe you’ve raised bees and harvested honey, or programmed robots, or rebuilt a v8 motor. Or perhaps you’ve choreographed a dance, written poetry, designed a video game, or built skateboards.
Ok, I know, you might not have done any of those specific things, but I guarantee that you ARE a maker!
Because making is a fact of life, not a mystical status. We sometimes forget that we are ALL creators, not just consumers. And at it’s heart, that’s what the DIY ethos of the Maker Faire is all about — finding the ideas that spark our imagination, and then making them a reality with our own hands. And whatever tools are needed.
At last year’s inaugural Santa Cruz Mini Maker Faire, over 1600 attendees spoke with, learned from and watched 44 exhibitors and 14 performers drawn from across many disciplines. They stepped into the drone cage and learned to fly drones, talked with people who had built their own R2D2, and were entertained by bodypainting and performance art. They learned how to program 3D printers and laser cutters, and also weave on a loom. Participants tapped into their inner engineer and tinkerer to build compressed-air rockets, and program bananas to play music (really!).
Burning Man, CES, and county fair
Still confused? Think one part Burning Man (fire!), one part CES trade show, and one part county fair. Maker Faires are hyperlocal events that focus on the immediate community. Santa Cruz County is a community of creative, free thinkers who enjoy the natural beauty of the local environment, and support local business. The Mini Maker Faire offers an opportunity to bring the vibrant technology and innovation ecosystem of our county into conversation with the incredible makers working in arts, crafts, performance and other fields. That’s why Plantronics, a global leader in audio communications solutions for businesses and consumers, is joining Make: and Gateway School as a top-level sponsor for the Faire in 2017.
Call for MAKERS
If you’re already in touch with your inner maker, consider applying to present! The CALL FOR MAKERS for the Second Annual Santa Cruz Mini Maker Faire, which will be held April 29 from 10am-5pm at Gateway School in Santa Cruz, is now live. Selection for exhibiting at the Santa Cruz Mini Maker Faire is a curated process.
So go ahead, fold that paper airplane. Record that song. Program that arduino to control a robot giraffe. Make hot pepper sauce, a fire-shooting glove, or a TV that only plays forest fires. Making can be light hearted and whimsical, or it can be life-changing.
And then come share your wisdom and perspective at the Mini Maker Faire. Because we are all makers.
See you on April 29th!
[Apply and learn more here: http://santacruz.makerfaire.com]
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