Do you have an idea for an invention that you would like to make a reality? Whether or not you're already familiar with Maker Faire – Make: magazine's events held to embrace those interested in arts, crafts, science, engineering and DIY projects – you'll want to visit your local Barnes & Noble in November.
Barnes & Noble will host its own Mini Maker Faire in stores across the U.S. November 6-8. The nation's largest retail bookstore is partnering with Make and "calling all makers" to participate in the Faire and learn how to take their invention ideas and make them real. Makers can come to their local Barnes & Noble and connect with others in the community, all the while learning and sharing ways of using technology to bring their ideas to life.
"Literacy is at the core of what we do, and rolling out the first-ever Mini Maker Faire in stores nationwide signals our commitment to what we believe it means to be literate in the 21st century," said Kathleen Campisano, vice president of Toys & Games at Barnes & Noble, in a press statement. "Tech literacy and being tech literate is a huge part of engaging in everyday life and remaining connected to the world."
The event is geared toward those ages 5 and up, and will provide workshops for both children and adults. There will be demonstrations of technology, including 3D printers, robots, programming and coding. Everyone will also have a chance to chat and work with experts in different fields of technology to learn how to take an idea from concept to actual production.
Anyone interested in attending can visit the Barnes & Noble Mini Maker Faire website.
"Now Barnes & Noble customers who know us through Make: [magazine] will be introduced to the Maker Faire experience," said Sherry Huss, vice president of Event Operations and co-founder of Maker Faire. "With access to tools and resources, they can learn new skills, discover their personal Making passion, and be inspired by local Makers in their communities."
Makers are one of the hottest growing subsets in the world: in 2014, over 130 Maker Faires occurred globally, with Makers raising more than $116 million for over 1,400 technology projects on Kickstarter.
