Maker Faire

Eh, the maker Farie was ok. I was expecting more with all the ranting.
What I’m most disappointed about is my subscription. I purchase the ticket with the subscription and I have seen anything. I’ve contacted them 2 – 3 times via email and no response and they want me to renew???- The F***. DO NOT BUY WHAT THEY OFFER. SCAM!!!

This place is huge spills out into the parking lot. Parking is free but you might have to walk from the garage near the office buildings. Best place to learn about robots, 3d printing, black smithing, welding and tons of other skills to make things

The Maker Faire was cool. It’s billed as the greatest show and tell on earth, which is a cute slogan. It’s like a giant science fair for grownups. Some of the things on display were too techy that it went over my head, but I suppose if you were an engineer or in the high-​tech field, you may really appreciate this stuff. There is a ton of stuff to see and do and lots of speakers and presenters. There were giant robots and huge mechanical vintage looking things that shot out flames! There was a rhino car where fire came out of his horn! That was pretty cool. There was also a giant snail vehicle that was kind of cute. There was also a guy riding around in a giant cupcake and zipping throughout the faire. We saw 3D printers in action and I got to try on an Oculus. The Swap-​o-​rama-​rama area was cool — people took old shirts (or other pieces of clothing) and were making things with it or printing things on them (I wish I had done this!). There was an Edible Marketplace, with vendors selling artisanal kettle corn, chocolates, honey, etc. There was a Steam Punk area where people were dressed the part and vendors were selling cool steam punk hats and jewelry. There was also the tapigami exhibit, that you sort of get to walk through. And that’s just a fraction of all the things we saw.
My favorites (besides the rhino car) was the Maker Faire mascot — an adorable giant red robot. One of the exhibition buildings had giant blow-​up versions of him. Another favorite was the San Francisco Bazaar, where there were arts and crafts vendors selling beautiful pieces of jewelry and fun t-​shirts and cute toys, and other things the artists had made. It was kind of like a (VERY) mini Renegade. My other favorite I will talk about was the paella. Gerard’s Paella was at the faire and the line was short! I wrote a separate review for this, but it was amazing watching them make the paella in their giant paella pans, and it was delicious!
The event was held at the San Mateo Event Center. There was no parking near the Event Center, but they had designated parking lots on their website, and shuttle buses to get people to the faire and back. But the parking situation was sort of a mess. The first lot we went to, which was the parking lot of some office park, was completely full. But the people at the lot kept letting people in — and it wasn’t until after we left that lot, that they stopped letting people in and started handing out flyers with the other lots. So we ended up getting back on the freeway and parking in Redwood City over at Oracle, where there were plenty of spaces and we didn’t have to wait long for a shuttle bus to pick us up. On their website, it says to check on twitter for parking updates, but I think they could have had a better communication plan with the people working at the parking lots. Not everyone tweets and even if I did, I wouldn’t check it while I was driving! This was a partial fail.
Tickets were sold online on eventbrite — prices go up if you buy them at the door. If you bought your tickets earlier, I think there was earlybird pricing, but when I bought mine them were $ 35, plus a processing fee. But it doesn’t cover everything at the faire, since there were some things that you had to pay extra for in order to participate.
Maker Faire was definitely a fun way to spend the day — saw lots of cool things and the faire is an amazing reflection of how creative and brilliant people are and can be.

Robots and fire! Doesn’t that seem exciting? Or is that just my secret inner pyro speaking out?
From Bay Area museums (Lawrence Hall of Science, Exploratorium), local college engineering programs, to individual makers, this is a great place to see a bunch of innovative creations.
My favorite exhibits/​attractions:
+ Glass blowing.
+ Giant lego buildings (including a Kermit playing a guitar and Caltrain model).
+ Whackamole game crated by Lawrence Hall of Science.
+ LED giraffe robot.
+ Food tent with samples.
+ Robots blowing fire (worth mentioning twice!).
Food choices:
+ Chairman Bao truck (get the steamed pork belly bun).
+ BaconBacon truck.
+ Phil’s Lemonade.
+ So many choices (food trucks and food tents) with reasonable prices.
Things to note:
— Buy tickets early to get a discount, or pay attention to promos closer to start date.
— Do not drive! They took away the parking lots at San Mateo Event Center this year.
— Take CalTrain and walk/​bike if possible.
— Wear comfy tennis shoes.
— Bring layers (Bay Area summers…*sigh*).
If you need a summer idea for a date or family outing, check out Maker Faire!

Some real true things. My boyfriend bought our tickets, so I not only didn’t pay for the festival, we came away with at least three tote bags and several t-​shirts. In terms of win, I came out on top.
That being said. My biggest positives were the Swap — O — Rama Rama and Homegrown Village. Both of these were my jam. Re-​usable items and organic options. Extra ups for the glass blower section and the stretch of neat ice cube/​weeding robots/​upside down planters outside of Homegrown.
But I really… really wanted to see more artisans. I wanted to see more useful objects being sold. I wanted people to TAKE MY MONEY!!! with more ideas that help the earth that needed funding. And less robots that just happened to glow and random electronic hardware.
Honestly, the Faire felt too big and too unfocused to enjoy and I don’t know that unless they split off the sections or make them easier to navigate, I’d return.

Reading the reviews for the faire gave me mixed emotions. This was my first experience with the faire so I respect many of the reviewers who gave one star and cited that it used to be much better; I can’t speak to that. I personally would not go back but it was an interesting experience.
The people I went with were much more excited than I was to go in the first place, so I assume their disappointment was even greater than mine. There were a few enjoyable exhibits; a lock picking workshop put on by TOOOL plenty of large metal structures spouting fire and a few neat 3D printed items and other products to look at. Otherwise it was just a crowded sales floor as far as I’m concerned. The drone fights were ok but it was so crowded that it just couldn’t be the «hands-​on» experience it is touted as. The tickets were overprices for what I experienced. and the parking was such a mess I don’t even want to think about it. I was hoping for so much more.

An amazing gathering of creativity and innovation BUT maddening logistics, lines and crowds that will suck your soul dry. Ticket prices keep going up each year but the cattle call experience has deemed this our last year. When the event began several years ago, it was fantastic, but it has outgrown this venue and apparently only cares about squeezing more money out of fans rather than figuring out how to make this event work again.
Many of the most interesting independent makers are squeezed into tight display spaces and you’ll be ass to elbow trying to observe or sample offerings in any meaningful way. This is what you come for and it’s now what you can no longer enjoy. After a while, the crush of the crowd and attack on your senses has you giving up and going home earlier than you had planned.
One of the only spacious and sane indoor sections was for selling Maker Faire branded items… all about commercialization and moving ever further away from the original intent of the event. The Bazaar has fantastic indy crafters, but ever since they moved this feature outdoors, it’s either too hot, too windy or too cold to linger and ponder a purchase. You have to stake a personal space at least 45 minutes in front of the main stages of the most popular demonstrations, otherwise you have to be quite tall in order to see over the sea of heads.
Considering that the event charges high booth space fees to makers displaying their creations, it seems only fair that the organizations list each and everyone on the program or at least have a list of their individual links on the Maker Faire website/​app. This way, one could review and identify which one to target in advance, because it’s impossible to meaningfully survey all the offerings in the crush of the crowds. Seems like fans aren’t the only ones not getting any respect.
If you insist on going, here are tips:
— Go early. It’ll still be crowded, but not as crowded as later in the morning/​early afternoon. Some of the closest designated parking lots, such as the Crossroads, fill up by 9:30 am on Sunday morn.
— Walking from the Crossroads is about 15 minutes to the gate. Waiting for the shuttle, loading, unloading takes twice as long. Plus, the shuttle will bring you to the south entrance and you’ll be queuing up behind hundreds of others who just offloaded from the other shuttles.
–Remember what color bus sign card is assigned to your parking lot and que up in front of the corresponding flag when you leave. On a windy day, the flags will be hidden by the trees, so it’s not readily apparent and the crowd attendants weren’t educating people about the different color flags.
— If you walk or bike in, there is practically no wait at west entrance. Avoid south entrance (shuttle drop off).
— Don’t wait in the long lines for the activity bracelets (everyone must wear one to show they signed a waiver to participate in any sort of activity) at the south gate. By pass them and go to any other info booth that will have the same forms and bracelets without any lines.
— Food and drinks are expensive and just the standard festival stuff, with very long lines during peak lunch hours. Officially you are not allowed to bring in your own food & beverages, but if you’re in the long line at the south entrance, they don’t check your backpack as they just want to move the crowd in. Your backpack might be checked at the less busy east and west entrances.
–Most affordable food options were the snack bars inside of the permanent pavilions, where a burger and fries cost 30−50% less than the outside independents.
— Another example that the ever increasing ticket prices are not creating a better guest experience is that the porta potties do NOT have hand washing stations! I’ve never been to an event this large where portable hand washing stations are not also included. This is especially important at an event where hands on participation is encouraged and welcomed. BRING HAND SANITIZER!
— There are a few flush toilet restrooms inside the permanent pavilions. The south pavilion has the shortest lines.
–Don’t bring toddlers. They will get trampled as well as overwhelmed by the crowd and noise. Plus, you’ll have to schlep all your crap onto and off the shuttles while trying to wrangle your kids and then again at the end of the day while your kids are having epic meltdowns from being tired and overstimulated. Plus, everyone will hate you and your stroller that keeps cutting into their achilles heels and blocking the tight aisles. Instead, go to a local school science fair/​festival (Park Day has an excellent Mini Maker Faire) and wait until your kid is at least 3^rd grade when they will have a better experience and actually remember it.
— Ticket prices are about $ 8-​$ 10 higher at the door, but if you experience the usual grid lock traffic and can’t find a space in the designated parking, it may just be worth the risk of not buying them in advance online if you are forced to give up.

On Sat, May 16, 2015 at 2:31 PM, ‘Gregory Gregory’ via
Hi, I just returned from attempting to attend the maker faire. We drove to San Mateo drove around for an hour, there was no reasonable parking option nor warning about what a disorganized disaster it could possibly be. I’m needing a refund on both tickets I purchased last night on the computer.
Due to the lack of parking, We were unable to attend I’m glad the maker movement is growing but today was a boondoggle for us.
On May 16, 2015, at 3:03 PM, Kelly
Hi Gregory,
Sorry to hear about your experience. There is no parking at the San Mateo Event Center as stated in our FAQ
There are no refunds or exchanges on tickets. Please let me know if there is anything else I can assist you with. kelly
I wrote Kelly at this point_​_​OUTRAGED!
wehave been to many events– and we have NEVER been somewhere where there was not adequate parking to support the number of tickets sold.
If this was known to you you should have made a BIG BANNER AT THE TOP OF THE PURCHASE TICKETS PAGE– TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
I don’t even see a big warning here that hundreds of vehicles would be turned away– and that guests should be prepared with alternate means of arrival.
as BAD as the situation Was —the sign should have been front and center in your advertising.
this FAQ page was not easy to find or read. I do not feel the truth of the situation was honorably expressed.
you are actually going to tell eager guests that after they drove 45 minutes there and searched for parking for an hour then gave up— and drove home – wasting a day, paying a babysitter, wasting gas — -that you will not refund their tickets???
a very disrespectful business practice. Unilocal will hear all about it.
georgianne Fastaia
then i read the ENTIRE FAQ on their website below the box where you buy your tickets online. I read it but the link kelly included in her reply was NOT ON THAT FAQ page of the website
nonetheless it is right to return the money for expensive tickets when your guests had a terrible experience
worst interaction with a business ever
Ihttp://makerfaire.com/bay-area-2015/getting-to-maker-faire/

You got to see this! It was so freaking awesome and the creation was so creative!
I saw 3D printer, R2 robots, Drones, sparkling lights and many more.
I also got hands-​on-​experience making a circuit board.

We couldn’t get in. We arrived at around 11:00 am on Saturday. All the parking lots were full, and there was no parking in the streets for miles around. We finally left after driving around for about an hour in heavy traffic that seemed to consist mostly of other people doing the same thing and feeling equally frustrated.
The event organizers know how many tickets they sell, and they know how much parking is available. This was really inexcusable.

Imagine a place where some of the coolest inventions and creations are joined together for you to see and play with… But you have to force you way through the crowd to see it and even then you don’t get to see the majority of what’s on display.
Sounds like my version of hell.
This is exactly what it was like at the Maker’s Faire Bay Area 2015 on Saturday the 16^th.
Add to the fact that there was no parking at the event center and all the other parking lots that were 5 miles away quickly filled up only added to the frustration. Multiple buses waiting to take people from the parking lot to the faire but still having to wait inline for over an hour because the people were signing for their wrist bands one by one before getting onto the bus. And then only to be dropped of to file into another line.
We made it to the faire around 11am and quickly decided to leave within an hour. It was too crowded. And given that there is no parking and you are NOT ALLOWED to bring in outside food, you are forced to buy the food from the faire, which takes more time just to wait in line again.
I’ve been to the Bay Area Maker’s Faire many times in the past and this was the worst experience.
The Faire has clearly out grown the San Mateo Convention Center, but instead of finding a new larger location, the organizers decided to just expand into the parking lots. But clearly they didn’t completely think out the parking situation. I would demand a refund for my tickets but that would probably lead nowhere.

Don’t drive –there is no place to park. Take the Caltrain — Hillsdale or the shuttles from Bart, college of San Mateo etc.
It’s crazy crowded, lines are very very long everywhere. At lunch time it’s insane. Hoards and hoards of people running over and trampling everyone on their way. Food was very expensive. Water was $ 3 a bottle.
It was overwhelmingly crowded. They don’t have a comprehensive listing so you can’t plan! And it is too large to do on one day. Not all parts are going to interest everyone.
Disorganized, chaotic and tiring!

Why I’m going to Maker Faire this year:

Come if you love Mythbusters conferences, robots, and just all-​around amazingness in general. My favorite exhibit is where you get soap for $ 6, and you choose the scent, color, and a toy to put in. The best food there is the Bacon Bacon Truck. Just go there. It’s awesome.

The Maker Faire is an event in the Bay Area that tends to display the cutting edge.
It has a fun attitude and as such, I have been twice. It can be a little expensive and difficult to park, but it is typically worth it.
They both demonstrate innovation in existing technology and show new things.
I have seen Game Boy music. They demonstrated a huge light show that involves characters being imprisoned and lots of drama.
It’s large and filled with some very unique specimen. You’ll see robots and all kinds of 3-​D technology, some involving the glasses, some not.
Not only is this a much more refined version of the Exploratorium, but you’ll see much more.
The Maker Faire is easy to recommend.

Let your imagination shine at the Maker Faire! Probably the biggest group of nerds and intellectuals that you will ever encounter in one place… hehe!
This event was so cool! We bought tickets the day of ($ 40/​ea– OUCH), but weren’t going to fuss over the price. We knew we were in for a treat. Plus, we avoided any sort of trouble with parking/​parking fees by parking in their off-​site lot and taking the complimentary shuttle to the faire. That turned out to be a saving grace cause BOY was it packed, evening during opening hour.
I am convinced that even coming here more than one day will not be enough time to take in every single part of this venue. There is so much that it is overwhelming! You will learn and see more here than you ever could at any other event. It took us 3 – 4 hours to walk around and get a good feel for everything. Sure, it was crowded, but I figure you have to expect that going to such a wonderful convention. There are a lot of really great people at this event, and you should try to focus more on how lucky you are to be amongst them. The crowd is temporary.
I felt a bit like we were getting a preview for Burning Man in terms of some of those art exhibits. I saw some pretty interesting exhibits to climb and play on, and hope to see them on the playa this year.
I quite loved the fire-​breathing dragon, and the octopus! Such a brilliant masterpiece.
I most intimately loved the art that engaged others such as the clay sculpture that everybody could build a piece for and add to it. I thought it was really beautiful to see imaginations come together to create and design something much bigger…
LOVED the musical venue that was powered by the bicycles. What a concept! Let’s incorporate more of that into today’s musical world, shall we?!
I took a bunch of pictures, and shared them here. Honestly, this is just one venue that you should come and see for yourself. It really is what you make of it and what you allow your imagination to turn it into.

This is one of my favorite events of the year. If there is a bigger nerd-​fest than the Maker Faire, I don’t know what it is. There are a few large corporate showings but for the most part, this is a big meetup of makers of all kinds. Raspberry Pi and 3D Printing are the most conspicuous items this year but there are also dozens of the Etsy-​craft types, people doing cool things with plants and growing – my favorite was the grow your own mushroom kit available in a dozen varieties – and a huge section for children makers. If you’re still learning skills, there’s a wide variety of hands-​on booths for essentials like lock picking, SMT soldering and metal working.
The Make Magazine folks also set up a huge store that contains all their nifty kits and geek-​toys. I was lucky to get out of there with only a new Raspberry Pi and a stack of books.

One word: awesomeness
The whole place feels like an adult version of Disneyland, with all kinds of giant robots, crazy inventions, RC boats/​tanks battles, homebrew honey/​waffles, and much, much more. Oh, and fire. Lots of machines breathing fire.
This year, the festival seemed much more packed than last year, with a much stronger focus on 3D printing. Not sure why everyone is so obsessed with 3D printing, but hey, I am a late adopter :)
They’ve got a giant octopus machine breathing fire out of its mouth and tentacles. And a huge freakin’ electric spark machine shooting large visible bolts of electricity into a cage full of live human beings.
How can you not go?

LAST YEAR WAS TOO PACKED.…I love maker fair but it continues to congest our neighborhood, create overwhelming foot traffic and I vote for them to move to a bigger venue even though I have the luxury of biking there.
People who live in the neighborhood are locked in by traffic the entire weekend and some plan to actually leave town, lol!
Its just become total CHAOS and its time to find bigger digs. Maker Faire is starting to become an annoying neighbor :-(
And this from a former Maker Fair volunteer, bona fide maker and lover of all things recycled!
Last year was horrid.. .they gave me grief for bringing my bike in the venue despite it being the only way I avoided being trampled! I don’t like being so packed into a space surrounded by fire breathing installations where you can literally feel the heat on your face but have nowhere to move.. . Its no longer feeling safe being THAT FULL.
GET A LARGER VENUE so that children and elderly and disabled can safely experience the event without trampling or hard core packing in of people.. .…REINVENT YOURSELF MAKER FAIR because this hard core MAKER wants to stay home this year. You CANNOT be everything to everybody. Enough please.
even the volunteer hours have increased to get into it for free, BOO HISS.
END the greed get back to your ROOTS Maker Fair.. .MAKE A CHANGE. You used to be SO EFFEN COOL ONCE. Five stars for years 1 – 4 of maker fair but playing bumper people and smelling arm pits and traffic exhaust from idle cars and parking structures that fill up by 11 am. ENOUGH ALREADY!

First time at the Maker Faire and mind officially blown… loved the Tesla Coil demo, R2-​D2s, Steampunk people wandering around, Fire Art, life size Mousetrap game… I could go on and on… get there early and enjoy all the demos, 3D printers, Legos and robots. On a funny side note: had the best paella at one of the food booths, very unexpected.
Parking isn’t easy if you want to avoid the $ 20 lot next to the event center, so arrive early.