Tech enthusiasts, woodworkers, metal workers, auto hackers, artists, teachers and entrepreneurs from the Washington, D.C., area and beyond will come to George Mason University this weekend for the fifth annual Maker Faire NoVa.
The event, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 18, pairs local makers with the Mason entrepreneurial community in a family-friendly atmosphere. Hands-on demonstrations will include woodworking, blacksmithing, drones, 3-D printing and soldering. The events will be held indoors and outdoors and spread out among different venues at the MIX, the Johnson Center and the Hub.
“This event helps provide innovative teaching and learning opportunities beyond the classroom for our students and faculty,” said David J. Miller, the executive director of Mason’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “The event provides platforms for students, faculty, alumni and regional innovators and makers to share their work, volunteer and meet other makers. This event is also important for Mason as we fulfill our mission to make an impact in the region and to provide leadership in creating an innovation ecosystem that is accessible and benefits the broader community.”
Groups and organizations scheduled to participate include NASA, the National Air and Space Museum and Samsung, as well as Mason’s College of Science and the Mason Racing team, which is a team of Mason engineering students who design build and race an ATV-style vehicle known as a Baja Car.
Also scheduled to appear are textile artist Amanda Jarvis and Theo Nazz, the Champion of Champions of season 4 of “Forged in Fire.”
All of the makers come with the idea of showcasing what they have created from new technologies and sharing that knowledge with other enthusiasts.
“We hope the 2018 Maker Faire NoVa will inspire makers, creators and innovators to take action, share what they find and create the future they want to see,” Miller said.
Maker Faire originated in 2006 in the San Francisco Bay Area as a project of the editors of Make: magazine and has grown into a worldwide network of both flagship and independently produced events, according to the event website.
Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite.com. Free parking will be available at the Rappahannock River and Shenandoah parking garages.