Maker Faire — the greatest show and tell on earth — returns to KC

Inventors, creators, makers and innovators will be showing their skills this weekend in the sixth annual Maker Faire at Union Station.

The Faire bills itself as a place where people can show what they are making and share what they are learning. Union Station representative Nancy Besa described the event as a “science fair on steroids.”

“The first year I went to the the faire, I walked round with my mouth wide open,” Besa said. “I kept saying ‘Look at that! No, look at that!’ ”

This year’s Maker Faire is scheduled to include organic food, photographs, robots, rockets, bikes, fire arts, woodworking and much more, including hands-on opportunities.

“The makers don’t just sit there,” Besa said. “They involve you and they show you.”

The first Maker Faire, organized by MAKE magazine, was in 2005 in California. Since then, Maker Faires have been held all over the world, from Rio de Janeiro to Rome and Hong Kong.

New to KC this year is the maker couture fashion show, featuring dresses made out of household items like duct tape, as well as gowns made by professional seamstresses. A bicycle club from Austin, Texas, will also be showing their stuff.

At the beginning of each day, a Mardis Gras-esque parade will open the faire, Besa said, and people can join in to celebrate the opening. For kids, there’s a nerdy derby, where kids can design and make cars and race them at the faire. And outside, attendees will find food trucks, human foosball, rock climbing and more.

Although the Kansas City Maker Faire website says it is a family-friendly event, Besa said people of all ages will enjoy it.

“When you walk around the faire, you’ll ask yourself, ‘How do they do that?’ ” Besa said. “It’s a lot of fun to interact and learn about so many different things.”

This story was originally published June 22, 2016 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Maker Faire — the greatest show and tell on earth — returns to KC."