Press Release

New Makers in Store for Fifth Year of Maker Faire Detroit July 26-27 at The Henry Ford

(Dearborn, MI – July 15, 2014) The Henry Ford will celebrate its fifth year of hosting Maker Faire Detroit by showcasing more than 100 new tinkerers, hackers and inventors on July 26-27. New this year guests can expect to take part in the Official Nerdy Derby, see live demonstrations from Pewabic Pottery’s Education Studio, hear live performances by Detroit’s Dear Darkness and even have a chance to build their own model truck with Construct a Truck USA. With more than 400 makers, this two-day festival has a little bit of everything for the whole family to enjoy.

Participants making their debut this year or returning with a new project include Ali Kermani, creator of the Razor Crazy Cart, our first all-female makerspace, the Hacker Gals of Kalamazoo, Detroit’s own Pewabic Education Studio, White House Maker Faire participant Inventables presenting the Shapeoko 3D Carving Machine and returning Ann Arbor makerspace Maker Works who will be bringing the Official Nerdy Derby to Maker Faire Detroit for the first time. Maker Faire Detroit favorites returning for 2014 include The LifeSize Mousetrap, handmade arts and crafts faire presented by DIYpsi, EepyBird with Coke and Mentos, and making their first appearance since year two, Detroit’s Theatre Bizarre.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Moog synthesizer, The Henry Ford will be hosting “Close Encounters of the Synth Kind,” a special presentation during the Faire that brings together the pioneers, experts and Makers involved with the ongoing legacy of synthesizers and experimental electronics. During the weekend Herbert Deutsch, close collaborator on the first Moog synthesizer, author Dave Tompkins and UK-based artist-designer Paul Elliman will give multimedia lectures and performances complimented by a group of modern-day Makers who will demonstrate their own analog synthesizers and circuit bent/hacked musical instruments. Henry Ford Museum will also display the 1964 Moog synthesizer, considered to be the first complete prototype Moog.

Guests wanting the ultimate Maker experience can download the free Maker Faire Detroit app via Apple App or Google Play stores to make the most of their weekend. The app includes a schedule, a map, maker descriptions, general faire info and newsfeed with updates from The Henry Ford. It also allows users to quickly build a personalized agenda of what they want to see and do during the weekend. Those who download the app before July 19 receive a 25% off coupon towards their purchase of Maker Faire Detroit tickets.

Ticket prices for Maker Faire Detroit are $28 for adults (13-61), $19.00 for youth (5-12), and $26 for seniors (62+) and can be purchased now. Children 4 and under are free. Members of The Henry Ford receive 50 percent off admission to Maker Faire Detroit. Shuttle service is sponsored by the University of Michigan-Dearborn and is available at the Fairlane campus located 19000 Hubbard Dr in Dearborn. For more information, visit our website at www.makerfairedetroit.com or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/makerfairedetroit.

Maker Faire Detroit is independently produced by The Henry Ford in collaboration with Maker Media. Maker Faire Detroit is sponsored by Ford Motor Company Fund, Pure Michigan and Siemens PLM Solid Edge software.

About The Henry Ford

The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan is an internationally-recognized cultural destination that brings the past forward by immersing visitors in the stories of ingenuity, resourcefulness and innovation that helped shape America. A national historic landmark with an unparalleled collection of artifacts from 300 years of American history, The Henry Ford is a force for sparking curiosity and inspiring tomorrow’s innovators. Nearly two million visitors annually experience its five attractions: Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, The Ford Rouge Factory Tour, The Benson Ford Research Center and The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre. A continually expanding array of content available online provides anytime, anywhere access. The Henry Ford is also home to Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school which educates 485 students a year on the institution’s campus. For more information please visit our website thehenryford.org.

About Maker Faire and Maker Media

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 of all ages and backgrounds gather together to show what they are making and share what they are learning.

Maker Faire celebrated 100 Faires in 2013 alone and has reached over 1.5 million attendees globally since it launched in San Mateo, Calif., in 2006, less than a year after the publication its "parent," MAKE Magazine, which launched in 2005. The ninth annual Maker Faire Bay Area welcomed some 1,100 maker entries and over 130,000 attendees. World Maker Faire New York, the other flagship event, has grown in four years to 600+ makers and 75,000 attendees. Detroit, Kansas City, Rome, Paris, Oslo, Trondheim, Newcastle (UK), Orlando, Silver Spring, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Tokyo and Shenzhen host the “featured” Maker Faires (200+ makers), and community-driven, independently organized Mini Maker Faires inspire and ignite creative communities everywhere around the United States and internationally.

Located in Sebastopol and Oakland, California, Maker Media has been widely credited with jumpstarting the worldwide Maker Movement, which has been a transforming force in innovation, culture and education. In addition to publishing MAKE Magazine and producing Maker Faire, Maker Media develops "getting started" kits and books it sells through its Maker Shed store as well as other retail channels.

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