One of the best things about Maker Faire is getting a glimpse of the future, even if it is (currently) only made out of cardboard. But perhaps even more magical than this future-gazing, is the opportunity to get a bird’s eye view of the next big thing while looking back at the machines–and history of invention–that made it possible. At no Maker Faire is this more evident than at Maker Faire Ruhr, happening March 26th and 27th at DASA, an interactive museum in Dortmund, Germany the size of two football pitches that takes visitors through the “world of work” and the history of industrialization. The “Maker Faire” at DASA will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days. Tickets are only available online for the time slots: March 26 and March 27, 10 a.m. to 1.45 p.m. and 2.15 p.m. to 6 p.m on www.makerfaire-ruhr.com. Standard entry costs EUR 5, concessions EUR 3.
Hissing time machines, crazy ideas from 3D printers or jewelry from the remains of human civilization! This year Maker Faire Ruhr returns for its “limited” fifth edition after a two-year break: A small but fine offer from the world of inventors. This year there will be around 30 booths and interactive workshops paired with entertaining lectures and a science show. Makers from all over the Ruhr area present their offbeat ideas from IT, design, art, and crafts. Programming games, working with wood or new technology in a Victorian guise: there really isn’t anything that doesn’t exist at Maker Faire Ruhr. The focus is on colorful and fantastical, imaginative or retro-futuristic projects of the brand Eigenbau. The aim is to strengthen the idea of doing it yourself and to give free rein to your own technical ideas. So who’s coming to Maker Faire Ruhr this year? The team at DASA have provided a sneak peek.
Let’s start first in the steel hall of DASA, a place of enormous proportions that still speaks to the dust and soot of the heavy industry that once happened here and that the region remains known for. This is the ideal place for the renown group of steampunks and artists who participate in the event each year. For 2022, guests include the wonderful Ruhrwerke, the steam circus Papenburg, the Funkenspotz Kraftmaschinen works, the airship shipyard, and the enchanting Anachronika. Together they take you into a world full of Jules Verne, dreams of the future, a bit of Victorian hijinks, and lots of creative tinkering. To start, you’ll have to go to the Office for Aether Affairs to have your time travel pass checked. If you don’t have one yet, you can apply for one there. The office takes care of everything that has to do with time travel. If someone has problems with strange occurrences around steampunks or their machines, they can also get help there.
Never to be missed: Somewhere between visual arts and street theater, the Abacus mobile streettheater group makes mobile visual acts. Impressive creatures and machines from other worlds. And of course we travel with airships and bring other achievements of modern steam technology with us. Accordingly, there will be several berths at our mobile shipyard. Anyone who is interested can participate in the further development of a zeppelin or try their hand at a steampunk hourglass.
Continuing on to the energy hall, you will find our robotics specialists and programming freaks. Say hello to the amateur radio operators from Dortmund, free makers with their quantum technology, game consoles with Mithotronic, the UN hack bar from Unna or sciota, the robot experts. You can also get to know KARL, a cute educational robot from Medion. Of course, the local R2D2 Builders Club should not be missed. Who doesn’t want to build a droid?
Cliff McLane’s awesome instant disco concept will be at the event ready for you to step back into a future past and take photos of your best self! Or your dog! Creator of rentable photo booths that travel Europe, an earlier iteration is the Marcury Van. Retro, funky, high-end – unique in every respect. “Cliff McLane restores dignity to the photo booth.” Cliff McClane – Das Rollende Fotozimmer.
Freie Maker eV presents: Alice – Between the mirrors. A veteren of Maker faire’s across Europe — including Rome and Sindelfingen in 2021 — with this project, “Alice -Between the mirrors” they want to convey the basics and applications of quantum technology in a playful and artistic way. We would like to lower the inhibition threshold to deal with such a topic. The open-source project should also encourage replicating in the local maker community. See more on their GitHub.
Things are really happening in the DASA gallery. There is room here for all the many Maker Spaces in the region: MakerSpace RT, Halle1, Makelinghausen, ARTandTECH.spacke or the Makerspace of the Freie Aktive Schule Wülfrath. And there is always plenty for kids to do at maker Faire Ruhr! Simple materials are used to create accessories for objects from other stands, objects based on one’s own ideas or self-designed templates. The children playfully develop problem solutions and work strategies in the “Kinderlab Karl Rosenwald” and learn about tools, materials and techniques.
Have you lost track of the 5th Maker Faire Ruhr at DASA? Then take a final look to find more about the workshop and lecture program there, as well as a leaflet for download. And of course we still have a few surprises up our sleeves for you…www.makerfaire-ruhr.com Or learn more on social at: Facebook I Twitter
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