Maker Faire Bay Area Celebrates A Dozen Years As the Maker Movement Continues to Engage & Inspire

SAN FRANCISCO, June 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Maker Faire Bay Area, the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth, launched in May of 2006, completed its 12th year in San Mateo, CA, over May 19-21, 2017. One hundred twenty-five thousand Makers, Maker Movement supporters, and making enthusiasts came together to share in the magic that is Maker Faire. The strength and stamina of the movement, and Maker Faire's staying power as the venue for learning about making, is demonstrated by its ability to bring together so many constituents regardless of age, skill level, or interest.

"This was a big milestone for us, celebrating one dozen years of Maker Faire where it all began in San Mateo," said Sherry Huss, co-founder of Maker Faire and vice president of Maker Media. "And a big part of that milestone is the achieving the goal of continuing to curate a Faire that engages attendees so personally, and sustains such a high level of enthusiasm that carries over year to year. It's incredible to see, and feel, that Maker Faire, twelve years in, is still having such a positive impact on so many people, companies, and society at large."

Highlights from Maker Faire Bay Area 2017 include:

• 125,000 attendees visited the event
• U.S. attendees came from all 50 states; others represented 48 countries from around the world
• 42% of attendees were first-time visitors to the Faire
• Attendees spent an average of 8 hours at the Faire
• 90%+ of Maker Faire Bay Area attendees rated their time at the Faire "great" and "very good"
• Product and partner announcements from top tier sponsor companies: Intel, Avnet, Arduino, Microsoft, and Google
• Released at Maker Faire, the "Boards" issue of Make: magazine included a guide, sponsored by Digi-Key Electronics, to help Makers select the right microcontrollers 
• 1,200 Maker projects were represented including performances and attractions
• Over 400 Maker entries included hands-on activities
• 20% of Makers were first-time exhibitors
• 53 exhibits were represented by International Makers
• Over 190 presentations were held with more than 180 leaders of the Maker Movement
• Maker Faire hosted its third FRIDAY@MakerFaire for Schools program with over 4,500 students and educators in attendance:
• 100 schools attended; 50% of these groups attended the Faire for the first time
• Schools from all around the Bay Area as well as from other parts of California, and outside the state, attended FRIDAY@MakerFaire and represented kindergarten through college students with many coming from elementary and middle schools
• Schools included public, independent, charter, and homeschool groups as well as afterschool and camp programs, with students from all different backgrounds
• Scholarships were provided to many Bay Area schools with student populations requiring support to attend Maker Faire
• Over half of the schools in attendance have a makerspace on campus; many came to FRIDAY@MakerFaire to gain inspiration for creating a makerspace at their school
• DK Publishing sponsored support for some schools to attend FRIDAY@MakerFaire

Faire fans are encouraged to mark their 2018 calendars with Maker Faire Bay Area 2018 dates: Friday through Sunday, May 18-20, in San Mateo, CA, at the San Mateo Event Center.

About Maker Faire
Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness, and 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 has celebrated 191 Faires in 2016 alone and has engaged more than 1.4 million attendees globally in 38 countries around the world. The 12th annual Maker Faire Bay Area welcomed some 1,200 Makers and 125,000 attendees. World Maker Faire New York, the East Coast flagship event, has grown in seven years to 930+ Makers and 95,000 attendees.

Located in San Francisco, California, Make: has been widely credited with jumpstarting the worldwide Maker Movement, which is a transforming force in innovation, culture, and education. The Maker Faire global events brand, Make: magazine, including Make: books, are all part of Make:.

Calendar Editors
A celebration of DIY culture, World Maker Faire New York 2017 is slated for Saturday-Sunday, September 23-24, at the New York Hall of Science in Queens, New York. More information about Maker Faire can be found at http://www.makerfaire.com. Save the dates for Maker Faire Bay Area 2018 at the San Mateo Event Center in San Mateo, CA, on Friday-Sunday, May 18-20, 2017. Find a Maker Faire near you at http://makerfaire.com/map. More information about Maker Faire can be found at http://www.makerfaire.com.

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Maker Faire Bay Area 2017 Sponsors
Presenting Sponsors: Intel, Avnet; Goldsmith: Google, Microsoft; Silversmith: Air France, BOSEbuild, Cognizant, Digi-Key, Mimaki, Kickstarter.

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