This year I had the incredible honor of serving as a Producer in Residence at Maker Faire Bay Area, supporting event logistics and hosting the Make: Live Stage across the weekend.
Behind the Scenes
Thursday and Friday were all about helping makers with load-in, getting them to their booth locations, and assisting with setup. Friday was especially rewarding—approximately 7,500 students came through for hands-on exploration, experiencing the maker movement firsthand.
Hosting the Make: Live Stage
On Saturday and Sunday, I had the privilege of hosting the Make: Live Stage, introducing speakers and makers from across the broader maker community. It was inspiring to share the stage with so many talented creators.
Featured Speakers
Charlyn Gonda - Casually Glowy
Charlyn shared her journey creating wearable LED accessories that blend code and craft, inspiring attendees to explore the intersection of fashion and technology.
Jorvon Moss - Robot Iteration
Jorvon discussed his robot iteration process from V1 to V2 design, showing how each build teaches valuable lessons for the next.
Bam Singhasaneh - CrunchLabs
Bam from CrunchLabs shared his prototyping philosophy: "there's no absolute failure—just iteration and testing." A powerful reminder that every attempt brings you closer to success.
Survey Vaish - Phone-Powered Robot
Survey broke down his phone-powered, GPS-guided outdoor robot, demonstrating how accessible components can create sophisticated projects.
Kayte Sabicer - The Art of Tinkering
Kayte from Tested emphasized the value of tinkering without predetermined goals—sometimes the best discoveries come from playful exploration.
Sam Suksiri - LEGO Innovation
Sam demonstrated his LEGO identification techniques and custom printing setup, showing how passion projects can evolve into impressive technical achievements.
Blue Ribbon Award Winners
One of the highlights was recognizing standout projects with Blue Ribbon Awards:
Oscillara
Modular light sculptures using PVC tubes and addressable LEDs, creating mesmerizing visual displays.
Light Work
Interactive art exploring light, shadow, and composition, inviting viewers to engage with how we live with our shadows.
ToolTrace.AI
A maker-friendly app for tool organization and build documentation—perfect for keeping track of projects and equipment.
Raptor House FX
The last maker to highlight is another blue ribbon award winner—Raptor House FX. Their projects are precise, expressive, and beautifully engineered. The Thing hand from Wednesday (Adams family) operated wirelessly via a glove worn by the performer, translating subtle finger and wrist motions into fluid articulation. The grip strength is impressive; it clamped onto my arm with confident, controlled pressure.
Other Highlights
Alex Glow
Terri Hardin - Disney Imaginer
Science Bob
The inaugural Two-Minute Maker Faire Film Festival showcased amateur filmmaking from the community. Educational sessions emphasized STEM pathways for students, with particular focus on strategies for engaging girls in hands-on learning.
The Human Side
Now the human side is getting to hang out all weekend with Tom and Daisy, my maker brothers and sister, who run Moonlighter Miami and Elise from Vector Space in Lynchburg, Virginia, as well as the Lynchburg Maker Faire. She is fantastic and a loving person, catching up whenever we are together. Also, to the rest of the tremendous crew leading the enormous event with a large number of makers, sponsors, and visitors.
Special thanks to Dale, Gillian, Katie, Jen, Siana, Cole, Kevin, Jamie and the rest of this amazing crew.
Being part of Maker Faire Bay Area reminded me why I love this community—the creativity, the willingness to share knowledge, and the constant spirit of iteration and improvement.
P.S. If you want to see the future of tech, science, and art—go to your local Maker Faire and sponsor them too!