Curious creators to take over Science Gallery for Dublin’s Mini Maker Faire

25 Jul 2013

Harry and George Brady from Glenageary, Co Dublin, enjoy the sold-out Curiosity Carnival in Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin, part of The Festival of Curiosity. Photo by Jason Clarke Photography

Clever crafts, inventive gadgets, homemade products and unusual works of art will be on display in the Science Gallery this weekend as the Dublin Mini Maker Faire showcases the work of tech enthusiasts, crafters, artists, hobbyists, science clubs and students to more than 5,000 visitors.

Running from 10am to 6pm this Saturday, 27 July, this is the second annual Dublin Mini Maker Faire that forms part of The Festival of Curiosity that runs from Thursday, 25 July, to Sunday, 28 July.

Organised by a team from Science Gallery, Science Hack Day Dublin, NUIM MakerSoc and TOG Hackerspace, the free all-ages event expects thousands of visitors, who will not only be able to see the creations made for the day that’s in it but also learn how to be makers themselves.

Visitors will have the chance to make their own guitar effects pedal, pet a giant robotic spider, see metal-forging in action, discover internet-connected time-lapse photography, and build the ultimate paper aeroplane.

There will also be a tent full of 3D printers, more robots, and an Empire State Building made of Lego.

Works to be exhibited include a giant tape deck by art collective A4 Sounds, an open-source home automation system from the Bedroom Laboratory, and a pair of wireless force-sensitive Irish dancing shoes created by David McKeown and Mick Donegan.

If you can’t make it to the Faire on Saturday, there are a number of other events and activities – many of them free – running in venues across Dublin for The Festival of Curiosity, from treasure hunts and robot-building workshops to interactive installations and street games.

Elaine Burke is the host of For Tech’s Sake, a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network. She was previously the editor of Silicon Republic.

editorial@siliconrepublic.com