About

What is the Reno Mini Maker Faire?

We like to call it the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker Movement. But what does that really mean?

It means the Reno Mini Maker Faire is a place where people of all ages and backgrounds get together to show what they are making and share what they’ve learned along the way. It’s a place where the whole family can come and learn about drones, see the latest Burning Man art, and learn how to solder. Where students and scientists rub elbows, garage tinkerers learn how to knit, and crafters make rockets. The aim of the Reno Mini Maker Faire is to encourage curiosity and creativity, to entertain and inform, and to connect and grow the amazing community of makers in Northern Nevada. Remember, we are all makers!

What is Making? Who is a Maker?

When you cook dinner, find a new use for a tool in your garage, or knit a sweater, you are making. When you write, paint, or compose a song, you are making. When you code an app, build a science project with your child, or engineer a bridge, you are making. It’s what happens in workshops, classrooms, and makerspaces all over the world. When we use our ability to use tools and think creatively, we start the process of innovation – and that is making.

Because we’re all human, we’re ALL makers!

WHY IS MAKERFAIRE FUN?

Why is it fun?! I’ll tell you why it’s fun! Because of rockets and drones and chemistry and knitting and fossils and 3D printers and bicycles and green energy and wood working and microcontrollers. Because of engineering and kites and cooking and soldering and robots and art cars and mad scientists and fire and derby cars and gobs of gadgets. Because of hands-on activities, workshops, speakers, and demonstrations. Because of green grass, loads of sunshine, and delicious local eats. Because it’s a family-friendly event that celebrates the maker in all of us!

WHO IS MAKERFAIRE FOR?

The Reno Mini Maker Faire is for all ages, from all backgrounds. It’s for tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, food artisans, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, artists, and students. It’s for anyone with an open mind, a sense of curiosity, and a willingness to be surprised, amazed, and taught something new!

WHAT IS THE MAKER MOVEMENT?

With the launch of MAKE Magazine in 2005, Dougherty and his team provided the catalyst for a tech-influenced DIY community that has come to be identified as the Maker Movement.

As the movement has gathered increasing momentum, makers have created their own market ecosystem, developing new products and services. The combination of ingenious makers and innovative technologies such as the Arduino microcontroller and personal 3D printing are driving innovation in manufacturing, engineering, industrial design, hardware technology and education. Over the years, the MAKE division has become synonymous with the Maker Movement and is the recognized leader of this growing community of makers.

Many makers are hobbyists, enthusiasts or students (amateurs!)–but they are also a wellspring of innovation, creating new products and producing value in the community. Some makers do become entrepreneurs and start companies.

This is grassroots innovation that we can foster in every community. It’s being called the Maker Movement, and MAKE Magazine and Maker Faire are very proud of having been (and continuing to be) a nurturing ground for this growing community of creative and curious people.

More information about Maker Media, Inc. can be found at makermedia.com.

About Maker Faire:

Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker Movement. It’s a place where people show what they are making, and share what they are learning.

Makers range from tech enthusiasts to crafters to homesteaders to scientists to garage tinkerers. They are of all ages and backgrounds. The aim of Maker Faire is to entertain, inform, connect and grow this community.

The original Maker Faire event was held in San Mateo, CA and in 2015 celebrated its tenth annual show with some 1100+ makers and 145,000 people in attendance. World Maker Faire New York, the other flagship event, has grown in four years to 600+ makers and 80,000 attendees. Detroit, Kansas City, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Orlando, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Silver Spring, Ottawa, Lisbon, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Newcastle, Hannover, Oslo, Trondheim, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, and Shenzhen are the home of larger-scale, “featured” Maker Faires. In addition, over 120 community-driven, independently organized Mini Maker Faires are now being produced around the United States and the world—including right here in Reno.

Maker Faire is supported by Make: magazine and Maker Media.

About Make: Magazine:

Make: is the first magazine devoted entirely to Do-It-Yourself (DIY) technology projects.
Make: unites, inspires, informs, and entertains a growing community of resourceful people who undertake amazing projects in their backyards, basements, and garages.
Make: celebrates your right to tweak, hack, and bend any technology to your will.

Besides the magazine and the faire, Make:
and Maker Media is:

• a vital online stream of news and projects, blog.makezine.com;
• a retail outlet for kits and books, the Maker Shed;
• a steady stream of fun and instruction via our YouTube channel;
• Make: Projects, a library of projects with step-by-step instructions;
• a publisher of best-in-category titles via Make: Books, including introductions to electronics, Raspberry Pi, 3D printing, Arduino and more.