Maker Toolkit Maker Faire Providence

Maker Faire Providence Date & Location

• September 7, 2024 (RAIN DATE: September 14)
• 195 District Park
• Providence, RI 02903

Set Up & Showtime

We expect to be ready for your arrival by 10:00am. Plan to finish unloading by 11:30am on Saturday and be fully set up by 12:15pm. You’ll be able to pull up your car to your exhibit location if needed, but you must first come to the load-in point shown on the map.

After you unload, please park your car and return to set up. Keep in mind that PVDFEST will be going on downtown, so plan your travel accordingly. We are not in the immediate vicinity of PVDFEST, but we are not terribly far from it.

The map below shows the park and some nearby (cheap) parking. There is street parking in the area as well. Click the image for a larger map.

$5 Parking

This is a private pay lot. When you enter, you take a ticket, and when you leave, you can pay with a credit card. Last time we used it, it was $5 on weekends. There is street parking in the area as well, and you may want to check out the South Street Landing Garage.

Load-In Zone

This is where you can pull up to load in (and out) for the event. If your exhibit is small, you may find it easier to park and carry your exhibit in. If you need to bring your vehicle up to where you are exhibiting to unload, please wait for a volunteer to accompany you to your exhibit spot. We will allow vehicles in, but only on a one-in, one-out basis. You may not operate a motor vehicle in the park without a volunteer escort.

Maker Faire

This is where it’s all happening!

The Guild PVD

This is the Guild’s Providence Beer Garden. We’ve been told to expect them to be operating, and there may also be food available. If not, Plant City is across the pedestrian bridge, and Dune Brothers is very close by.

(Tentative) Schedule

Saturday, September 7:

• SET UP: 10:00am – 11:30am (if you need to set up earlier, let us know)
• SHOWTIME: 12:30pm – 6:00pm
• LOAD OUT: 6:00pm – 7:00pm

Preparing for Maker Faire

The Maker Toolkit is designed to help you navigate the logistics of the Maker Faire, and most importantly, to help make your involvement in the Maker Faire a positive, memorable event. Together we can make the Maker Faire a truly unique, educational, safe, and extraordinary experience for all by adhering to the rules and regulations outlined in this manual.

Leading up to the show, you will receive a Confirmation Letter outlining the details of your exhibit. Prior to arriving onsite, we expect that you have read this Maker Toolkit, that you will abide by the rules and regulations, and that we have agreed on the specifics of your exhibit as detailed in the Confirmation Letter.

LOCATION, MAKER AND EXHIBIT OVERVIEW

A Maker Faire is not designed like any standard trade show or conference — it is a fun, interactive maze of demonstrations, exhibits, workshops, and displays. We have tried to keep it environmentally friendly and simple in design. Imagine the historical state fairs where everyone arrives with their wares and sets up their exhibit! We have different kinds of exhibit areas to accommodate the diversity of projects, and we encourage Makers to create their own look and feel.

Exhibit Area

Your exhibit space will vary in size depending on your requirements. We have a variety of outdoor spaces on pavement or grass. If you requested power for your exhibit, we’ll be able to supply you from the power outlets that are located in the park. We’ll have extension cords and a limited number of power strips, so it’s best if you bring one. The circuits in the park are not capable of providing a tremendous amount of current, but if you’re operating something that can plug into a power strip, you should be OK. For example, if you’ve got a couple computers with monitors, a small 3d printer or soldering iron, you should be well within the limits. Each outlet we use is 20A, but it may be shared with other makers’ tables.

The park has public Wi-Fi. The network is TakeItOutside and you will be directed to a sign-on screen upon connecting. If you are not, try visiting the website http://www.example.com to initiate the sign-in process. You may be prompted to re-authenticate periodically throughout the day.

Types of Makers

Maker: Individuals who demonstrate what they make and/or how it works, in an interactive environment. There is no exhibitor fee for standard Maker Exhibits.

Maker Groups: One exhibit with many Makers or many exhibits curated by one point person. We ask that you have one contact, a curator, to coordinate with our team. Please email us with your point person’s email and mobile number along with Project Name. There is no exhibitor fee for Maker Groups.

Non-Profit, Agency and Cause or Mission Based Associations, Institutions and Organizations: Non-profits, agencies, and cause/mission based organizations that are coming to the Faire to promote their organization receive free exhibit space.

Commercial Maker: Individuals show and demonstrate a product that they make and/or show how it works in an interactive environment with the opportunity to promote or sell products. There is no fee for commercial makers.

Maker with Sponsor Subsidy: From time to time, some Makers may receive financial or material support from a company. This support is welcomed; however, there are rules around this level of support. Before you ask to receive sponsorship funds or materials for your Maker exhibit, please inform us by using “Sponsor Subsidy” in your subject line to info@makerfaireri.com as full sponsor disclosure is required.

If you, your club and/or exhibit obtain approval from the Maker Faire Team and sponsor support; you will be able to offer one small sponsor appreciation sign with their logo, 4 inch x 6 inch maximum size, at your exhibit. You will not be able to offer any large brand recognition at the Faire or give away sponsor products or flyers. If your sponsor would like to upgrade their sponsorship and obtain brand recognition at the Faire, please contact us and we will be happy to work with them to accommodate their support in the Maker Movement.

These are guidelines only, your exhibit may not fit exactly into one option below, and it may fit more than one.

Basic: A tabletop or small area to demonstrate what you make.

Activity Area: A hands-on, fun, interactive area that encourages audience participation to learn how to make or do something.

Demonstration Workshop: During a short show-and-tell session, Makers demo and teach particular skills, techniques, or processes, explaining materials and tools, stepping through a building process, sharing their knowledge, and interacting with the audience. Sessions are less than 30 minutes and may be repeated. Demonstrations will be done in your exhibit area.

Maker Groups: A group of Makers collaborate to curate a larger exhibit with several exhibitors. See above for more details.

Roaming Exhibits: If you have an exhibit that will roam during the show, please let us know if you require a location for your use as a home base for non-roaming activities. If your roaming exhibit needs access to an electrical outlet, ask us about the charging station locations.

Attraction: A wonderful, unusual thing that doesn’t fit in to any of the categories above.

EXHIBIT DETAILS

We have a number of small round tables and folding chairs available, but if you need a larger table, we’d appreciate if you could bring your own, along with anything else that you would like to have, such as extension cords/power strips and any hardware or supplies that will help you display your project. We trust that you will supply any equipment or supplies you need to make your project functional. In some cases, the Maker Faire Production Team will assist with some elements of your setup as long as it has been agreed upon in advance. Please feel free to make signs for your exhibit that help the attendees understand what you are making!

Signage: We will create a sign for your exhibit and a Maker webpage on our website. Each sign and webpage includes a project description and short bio based on the project proposal you submitted. This information and a link to your Maker webpage will also appear on our web site.

Maker Entry Passes

The event is free and open to the public, so we only ask that you identify yourself when you arrive to set up.

During the Event

Breaks: Each Maker exhibit should be staffed at all times by you or a colleague. If you do not have an assistant and you need a short break, please notify one of the organizers and we will do our best to assist you in finding someone to watch your exhibit.

Electrical: During the event, if you have a problem with your power, please report it immediately to an organizer or park staff.

Pets: For the safety and well being of our four-legged friends, please leave your pets at home. There are loud noises, many movable parts, fire elements, and large crowds, all of which do not create a safe environment for pets.

Evacuation: Should the need to evacuate arise, staff and visitors will be notified by Security Personnel. Stay calm. Immediately stop any demonstrations or presentations. Do not try to dismantle your exhibit. Even if you cannot see any obvious reason for the alarm calmly make your way to the nearest exit or assembly point, encouraging others to follow you to safety. Once to safety, move away from any buildings and keep emergency access routes clear. When the necessary authorities deem it safe to reenter the area or buildings, Makers will be granted access prior to members of the public.