The Maker Faire - Detroit UPDATE

Wow - it has been a very busy summer!  I have yet to update my post on The Maker Faire - Detroit - so here goes!

The Maker Faire was easy to get to, easy to park.  I would suggest buying your tickets online before hand as the line for the Faire was part of the normal ticket line for all of The Henry Ford and the line was SUPER long.

Once we had our tickets it was onto the Faire.  I was super excited and ready to explore.  It was probably a good thing I went with a small group of people or I would have literally ran through the Faire looking at everything.  It took me a few minutes to adjust to our groups slower pace, but once I did it was great to really take in each area, the people, the projects.

There was everything at the Faire - Threshers, small engines - old and invented, windmills, cargo kilts, a large metal dragon that breaths fire, big wheeled bikes, a life sized version of "Mouse Trap", mini go-karts, knitting stations, 3-D printers, easy cheese printer, local artists, crafts and so much more.  I was actually expecting more 'tinkering' spots instead of so many business booths and 3-D printers.  I got the feeling that The Maker Faire is only a couple years old at the Detroit location and that each year it grows a little more.  I hope that the more people that attend and spread the word the more unique the booths will be.

My favorite tinker spot was a waterfall swing.  The swing used the motion of the swings to pump water from the pool below the swings up the supports and then it falls in a gentle curtain of rain that the swingers pass through.  It's a great idea.  Think of a really hot summer day and being able to swing and get wet!

Inside the Henry Ford Museum there were more booths, which was a great break from the heat.  We had some lunch, toured the Museum as well as rest of the Faire.  My favorite display/activity area was the Needle Arts Zone.  There were literally buckets of knitting needs, a bunch of skeins of yarn in all colors, and a bunch of tables where ANYone could get a chance to learn to knit.  It was a wonderful station, but I especially liked their display - so creative!

Overall I really enjoyed the Maker Faire and I am excited to go next year!  It was great to see so many booths and so many people attending the Faire.  I consider events like these a step towards revitalizing the arts in communities.  This wasn't an 'art' Faire - but it was a Faire that celebrated people who problem solve, critically think, and who create.  I count that as a win!