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MAKER FAIRE RETURNS TO AUSTIN!

Auditions Sunday July 20th at Austin's Children's Museum

"Combining old-fashioned crafters with forward-thinking technorati, fashionistas, and mad scientists of all stripes, the Maker Faire is a hands-on celebration of all things DIY (Do-It-Yourself) brought to life by Make magazine. "
-- -- The Onion

Sebastopol, CA (June 24, 2008)— This past May, a jaw-dropping 65,000 people gathered at the San Mateo Fairgrounds in California for an event some called, "The Woodstock for inventors." Put together by Make Magazine and Craft Magazine, Maker Faire celebrates things people create themselves-from robots and electronic gizmos that would make James Bond jealous, to "slow made" foods and homemade clothes that would make Martha Stewart swoon. The event is a non-stop "wow-fest" where surprises and inspiration are as ubiquitous as the festival air.

Started in California in 2006, Maker Faire branched out to Austin, TX last fall and attracted over 20,000 attendees! This fall, the award-winning Maker Faire returns to Austin-October 18th and 19th at the Travis County Fairgrounds.

"Austin has a vibe and sensibility that's perfect for Maker Faire," explained Event Director Sherry Huss. "It's a community that is artistic and full of energy. Inviting people to share their creations and ideas, Maker Faire seeks to inspire even more creativity within the community. The Austin event last year was more successful than we could have imagined, so we look forward to an even bigger and better event this year!"

In preparation for this year's Austin event, a team from Make magazine (www.makezine.com) will be scheduling 15-minute appointments at the Austin Children's Museum Sunday, July 20th from 1pm to 5pm to preview, and meet with, potential exhibitors, crafters and inventors from the area.

"We're looking for anyone who has something fun to share, something they've made with their hands," explains Dale Dougherty, Publisher & Editor of Make magazine. "It can be practical or impractical-it could be something simple like a creative Halloween costume or maybe some handmade jewelry. Or it could be something wild like a bike with ten wheels, or a dog-powered lawn mower. Whatever it is, the more creative and imaginative, the better!"

The Details:

• When: Sunday, July 20th, 2008 (1pm - 5pm)
• Where: Austin Children's Museum
  201 Colorado Street, Austin, TX
  512-472-2499
  
• Admission: FREE (for those that audition)
• Contact for Tryouts: Sherry Huss,

About Austin Children's Museum

The mission of the Austin Children's Museum is to create innovative learning experiences for children and families that equip and inspire the next generation of creative problem solvers. Located at the Dell Discovery Center downtown at the corner of 2nd Street and Colorado, the Austin Children's Museum is one of the city's popular cultural attractions with 210,000 visitors annually. Founded in 1983 as a non-profit organization, the Austin Children's Museum delivers its mission through a variety of exhibits, programs and outreach activities. For more information, please visit www.austinkids.org.

About O'Reilly Media

O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism. www.oreilly.com