Martinsville Mini Maker Faire is back

The Martinsville Mini Maker Faire, hosted by the Fab Lab at Patrick Henry Community College, is coming back for a second year in a row on April 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Artisan Center in uptown Martinsville, 54 W. Church St.

Maker Faire events are celebrations of creativity, ingenuity, and places where people can show what they’re making and learning, according to event coordinator Matthew Wade, who also serves as Fab Lab coordinator for PHCC.

“Some people don’t realize that they can be a maker,” Wade said. “I grew up in a home where we made pretty much everything. We built our house, we grew a garden, my mother quilts, weaves baskets, paints, and my father is an engineer. We weld … We’re a family of making. I know everyone is not at that level, but I think everyone can make something.”

Here’s a rundown of activities and stations available at this year’s Maker Faire:

• Steve Keyser from New College Institute on how to make marshmallow blow guns;
• demonstrations of products made by the Alamance Makers Guild by Bennett Harris;
• Jessie Vernon presents “How to make slime and other non-Newtonian fluids”;
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Trailer visits from IALR (Institute for Advanced Learning and Research) in Danville;
• PHCC Racing College’s late-model race car constructed by students;
• laser projects with John and Libby Sharp in the Fab Lab;
• wood-turning demonstrations with Phil Fuentes;
• “How to use Scratch to make a game” by Donna Hicks;
• STEM Fair winners from Henry County Schools and their projects;
• Brian Pace and the robotics team 1262 STAGS;
• workshops on Raspberry Pi and Arduino by Bo Setliff and Mark Nelson;
• workshops by Margaret Shelton and Becky Wade on how to sew for cancer patients;
• soldering for beginners by David Dillard;
• make your own Martinsville Mini Maker Faire t-shirt;
• making digital jewelry with keyboard keys by Kimberly Biggs, provided by Martinsville Electronics;
• scaled jet engine demonstrations with Roy Dodson;
• Randy Ferguson of Pee Wee’s Boy Guitars;
• the University of Virginia at Wise;
• and “How to make Brushbots” (brush portions of toothbrushes fitted with a micro motor and coin cell battery) with Cory Werkheiser and Christina Niblett.

Chef Bob Koester and the PHCC Culinary Arts department will sell concessions throughout the day. Chef Bob’s menu includes chicken or steak skewers, hand-breaded chicken fingers, mini pizzas, nachos, hand-cut French fries or sweet potato fries, and assorted sodas and slushies.

“It’s going to be a great day for anyone who comes out to learn, share and hopefully enhance their skills as a maker,” Wade said.

There is no cost to attend the Martinsville Mini Maker Faire. To register as a maker or find out more information, visit www.martinsvilleminimakerfaire.com or call (276) 656-5474. The last day to register as a maker is April 11.