Makers Faire Detroit

StringGirl and the kiddos made their way to the Henry Ford to visit the Makers Faire Detroit. Held each year the Maker Faire is the worlds largest DIY family fair. It may be the only, so there is little to dispute there. We rolled in with the kids--two 13 year old and two 11 year old-- for our first ever visit. It was a beautiful day (as for appearances) to spend out and about an outdoor fair.

Held on the grounds of The Henry Ford  the fair is a bit of geek heaven. With displays set up by a mix of artisans, hackers, makers, and commercial interests the gist of the fair is to appeal to the type of person who can't but help to dismantle their old computers not only to see what it is like, but perhaps because they might have a use for some of its guts. Try to imagine the renaissance festival for the techno geeks instead of anachronistic dungeons and dragons players.

As we enter the Faire we immediately get to see some of the offerings, like a super-bike (hiding behind the kids in the above foto). The Buell is something of a Makers wish come true as Erik Buell represents what every makers aspires too--a tinkerer who was able to make it big.

Just around the "corner" from that first display is the Theatre Bizarre the stage where a mis of perfomers would balanced, throw, catch, and otherwise set things alight to entertain the onlookers (OK maybe this is the Renaissance Festival).

A little bit of something for everyone. But just a little further on the first of the "Hackspaces" and there we get to see what the Makers have to offer.