(September 16, 2015)

First Shreveport Mini Maker Faire comes to Centenary

SHREVEPORT, LA — In partnership with Sci-Port, the Bossier Arts Council, the R.W. Norton Art Gallery, and Red Stick Robotics, Centenary is excited to host the inaugural Shreveport Mini Maker Faire. The event will take place this Saturday, September 19, 2015, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Centenary's Fitness Center. Admission is free and open to the public.

"Centenary College is excited to work with Sci-Port: Louisiana's Science Center to host the first annual Shreveport Mini Maker Faire," said Kris Holland, Centenary's Conference and Events Coordinator. "There are so many unique artists, educators, craftspeople, and engineers in our city and we want to offer an engaging, hands-on opportunity for families to come out and see what they do."

The Maker Faire is a family-friendly showcase of wares created by the local community, providing a chance for artists, inventors, and "makers" to display what they are creating and learning. Makers come from all ages and backgrounds and range from tech enthusiasts to crafters to commercial exhibitors.

The Maker Faire concept began in San Mateo, California, in 2006 and later added another flagship World Maker Faire event in Queens, New York. The Bay Area event has grown to include some 1,100 makers and boasts 113,000 annual attendees. The larger-scale Maker Faires have since expanded to numerous cities, including Detroit, Kansas City, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Orlando, Paris, Rome, Oslo, Trondheim, Tokyo, Newcastle (UK), and Shenzhen. In addition, over 120 community-driven, independently organized Mini Maker Faires are now being produced around the United States and the world.

"We have over 30 different exhibitors signed up for the event, and anticipate 1,000 visitors to the Fitness Center," said Holland. "Come out to explore the Maker Movement — we are all Makers!"

For more information regarding Shreveport's Mini Maker Faire, please visit their website at shreveportmakerfaire.com or their Facebook page.