LEWISTON — Organizers hope the Twin Cities’ fair for makers and hobbyists this year is bigger and better.
“We’ve gotten a ton of really good responses,” said Kate Griffith, program and events coordinator for Museum L-A. “We had about 800 people attend last year, so we hope we can really start building on that.”
It’s the second year for the local event, part of the international maker movement and one of hundreds of similar fairs around the world. It draws hobbyists, technophiles and professional and amateur craftsmen to display their projects.
Griffith said a group of 30 exhibitors will attend this year’s event. It includes eight groups that came last year, and 22 that are new to the Lewiston-Auburn Mini-Maker Faire.
The fair is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 28 in the Bates Mill. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. For those 13 to 18 years old the cost is $5. Those younger are admitted free.
Lewiston’s fair will feature interactive displays from local artists, activists and students.
The events will straddle the Bates Mill complex, with outdoor displays in the parking lot between the building and Canal Street and in the Bates Mill Atrium on both floors.
Maine’s Coke and Mentos experimenters, Eepybird, will be front-and-center again this year. Stephen Voltz, one half of the duo, is a key adviser for the local fair. The group’s “Coke Zero and Mentos Spectacular” is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. outside.
Mad Science of Maine will put on two displays Saturday: The first, at 11 a.m. outside, will show science tricks with ice and air. The second, at 1:30 p.m., will showcase radical reactions.
Calligraphy artist Abraham Schecter will also be back with this hands-on displays, with workshops scheduled at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
“Those were really popular last year,” Griffith said. “He didn’t know how well that would go, but it filled right up. He couldn’t take anymore people.”
Other makers include Lewiston comic book artist Nathan Ray and his creation “Mighty Snorter: The Super Hero of the Decade,” lock-picking demonstrations and several Maine FIRST Robotic teams. The Lewiston Police Department will show off the city’s new tactical robot.
Students from Lewiston’s Green Ladle will be doing a barbecue outside.
“Another thing I’m excited about is that Home Depot is giving us kits, and they’ll be on hand to build things with the kids,” she said.
The first Maker Faire started in California in 2005, and the 2011 edition had more than 100,000 attendees. The events are supported by MAKE Magazine and O’Reilly Publishing.
Since the inaugural event, organizers have sponsored similar large-scale fairs around the world, including ones in Detroit, Boston, New York and London.
They also support smaller “mini” fairs designed for between 300 and 6,000 attendees. Lewiston-Auburn’s fair is one of the smaller varieties.
Lewiston-Auburn Mini Maker Faire
Returning exhibitors:
Eepybird Eepylab: Coke Zero Mentos Spectacular
Ann Thompson, Bike Part Art: Kinetic toys from recycled bike parts
Gardiner Iron Tigers First Robotics
Spruce Mountain High School Spruce Mountain FIRST Robotics Team First Robotics
Messalonskee High School Team Infinite Loop FIRST Robotics Team
Stan Farrell: Composimol
Abraham A. Schechter: Calligraphy
Charley Lind: Giant Bubbles
New exhibitors:
Brian Wilson, Detritus Designs: Found Object Jewelry
Jude Bellas: Paper Quilling
Sheryl Westleigh, Noadi’s Art: Science specimen jewelry
Tess Parrish, Southern Maine Lace group (SOME): Bobbin lacemaking
Paul Fowler, Wired Technology: Arduino Project Kits
Karen Hall: Paper Mache Puppets
Tom Williams, The Open Organization of Lockpickers: Lockpicking
Lewiston Police Department Tactical Robot: Robotics
Jenn Carter, Lewiston Middle School: Lewiston 21st Centure Leaders
Kalvin Gearhart, Kalvin’s Chainmail: Chainmail Jewelry
Leo Baillargeon, Kidsville News!: News for grades K-6
Marie Marquis, Sew Creative Boutique: Embroidery
Nathan Ray, Mighty Snorter The Superhero of The Decade!: Comics/ Drawings
Tim Terranova, MSAD 15 Destination Imagination Team: Instant Challenges
Karin Schott, Fleecenik Designs: Machine/Hand Knitting
Thomas Lemieux: Ironman of Maine
Eva Szillery: Modular Origami
Jake Ryan, Open Bench Project 3D Printer: Lego Robotics
Sam Matosian, Hack Portland!: Miscellaneous Hacker stuff
South Portland Makerspace
Sarah Koelbl, Sojourn Curiosities: Sculpted wire jewelry
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