Craftsmen, makers, self-identified nerds, scientists and curious knowledge-seekers of all ages will congregate this weekend at the Central Florida Fairgrounds as the annual Maker Faire Orlando returns.
Back for its 13th year in Central Florida Nov. 8-9, the event draws an estimated 14,000 attendees for two full days of power racing, cosplayers, battling robots and more than 200 exhibits with plenty of hands-on activities.
Maker Faire Orlando returns for its annual event, complete with battling robots. (Roberto Gonzalez/Courtesy Maker Faire Orlando)
“Maker Faire Orlando brings together an incredible mix of curious minds and creative spirits—people who love to learn, build, and share,” said Ian Cole, the event’s founder and producer, in a news release. “From engineers and scientists to artists and crafters, it’s a one-of-a-kind space where makers showcase their passions and projects, offering a glimpse into the future and sparking inspiration for all who attend.”
This year, the fair will again feature a main stage with a panel discussion from theme park makers, appearances from young makers and a discussion about cosplay. Hands-on exhibits include the drone zone, learn to solder, make-a-shirt, nerdy derby and giant skeeball.
Outside, fair-goers can witness power racing, experiment with paper rockets and see knights in armor fighting with each other.
One exhibit at Maker Faire Orlando allows attendees to take things apart to see how they work. (Roberto Gonzalez/Courtesy Maker Faire Orlando)
A big part of the fun at Maker Faire is pulling back the curtain on exactly how creative inventions of engineering and technology are made.
“There are other creators and people who respect the amount of time and effort it took to do something. You feel comfortable giving off some of the magic behind what you’re pulling off,” said Darren d’Hedouville, one of the founders of MCParks, a group that builds theme parks in Minecraft. “We can show that if you’re passionate about something enough, you can turn it into something more than just a hobby.”
MCParks was founded in 2013 by d’Hedouville with the idea of building one-to-one scale parks in the virtual world of Minecraft. The details can be as meticulous as elevation and intricate ride details that are constructed and maintained by a group of 170 volunteers.
“In 2020, when the parks were closed and the world kind of shut down, we became everybody’s third space,” he said. “We were experiencing thousands of players trying to join every day and get that little sense of normalcy.”
On Friday, a day that will see 3,000 schoolchildren visiting on a field trip, the creator will share the technology and teamwork behind the builds.
“We’re super excited because we know we’re really getting to an audience that’s ready to soak up everything that’s in front of them for their life and careers,” said Allen Paschel, president of the Maker Effect Foundation. “We can turn on a lot of light bulbs for young hearts and young minds.”
He hopes visitors of all ages leave the event feeling inspired to create something of their own.
“Our makers are interested in how things work and love to teach and share how it’s made,” Paschel said. “What we hope people take away from this is that anyone can be a maker. Sometimes it just takes that extra step to find out that, ‘Hey, this is something that I can make myself.’”
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If you go
Maker Faire Orlando is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 8-9 at 4603 W. Colonial Drive in Orlando. Online advance tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and children ages 3-17 (before tax). Two-day passes are also available. Parking is free. More information: makerfaireorlando.com