A drone negotiates through a lighted obstacle course at the Malheur Maker Faire, Saturday, April 13, at Four River’s Cultural Center. Dubbed “the greatest show-and-tell on earth,” the new local event brought together students, scientists, and all sorts of creatives, including crafters and hobbyists, to showcase their work. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)
ONTARIO – Roughly 40 people who create through art, science or technology were on hand to show off their work Saturday, April 13, at a new local event, the Malheur Maker Faire.
The fair was hosted by the Frontier Hub for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, Malheur Education Service District, and the OSU Extension Office for Malheur County at Four Rivers Cultural Center. It brought together students, scientists, and all sorts of creatives from across the region, including crafters and hobbyists, to showcase their work.
The event featured the educational entertainment of “Dr. Picklestein’s STEM show!”
The Dr. Picklestein character, played by Henry Charlier, an associate professor at Boise State University of chemistry and biochemistry, is a long-running traveling show designed to excite school-age children’s interest in science. The show also features Karen Hammond, a student support manager in the college’s chemistry department who plays “Lady Argentum.”
Local students showed off their artwork, and there was a hands-on robotics demonstration from Vale High School. Along with interactive workshops, a local drone-racing company hosted live-action drone racing, complete with an obstacle course. The company, Treasure Valley MultiGP Drone Racing, offered visitors the opportunity to test their own pilot skills with a drone flight simulator.
Workshops also showed how to make sourdough bread, jewelry and origami.
The first Maker Faire was held in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2006. Since then, events have gone international.
Nickie Shira, director of the Frontier Hub, and Barbara Brody, an associate professor of practice family and community health, said students from the county’s Chief Science Officers group were inspired by their 2022 visit to the Central Oregon Maker Faire in Bend and wanted to do a similar event.
Cari Tschirgi of Stay Sour Sourdough talks about her products – including cookies and bread – at the Malheur Maker Faire, Saturday, April 13, at Four River’s Cultural Center on Saturday, April 13. The new local event hosted by the Frontier Hub for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, Malheur Education Service District, and the OSU Extension Office for Malheur County brought together students, scientists, and all sorts of creatives, including crafters and hobbyists, to showcase their work. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Tom Jacobsen, a Nampa resident with Treasure Valley MultiGP, holds a mini-sized drone at the Malheur Maker Faire, Saturday, April 13, at Four River’s Cultural Center. The Treasure Valley MultiGP crew were on hand to demonstrate the company’s mini drones. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)One of the many drones on hand at the Malheur Maker Faire, Saturday, April 13, at Four River’s Cultural Center, lifts off to negotiate a lighted obstacle course. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Jenne Schiffhauer, of Lunatic Fringe Yarns, demonstrates a hand loom at Four Rivers Cultural Center during the Malheur Maker Faire, Saturday, April 13. The new local event hosted by the Frontier Hub for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, Malheur Education Service District, and the OSU Extension Office for Malheur County brought together students, scientists, and all sorts of creatives, including crafters and hobbyists, to showcase their work.(The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Heather Wortman of Mom’s Best Breads, LLC, gives a presentation on sourdough bread during the Malheur Maker Faire, Saturday, April 13 at Four Rivers Cultural Center. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Diana Morinaga, director of programs and outreach for Four Rivers Cultural Center, teaches two local residents how to do Origami during the Malheur Maker Faire, Saturday, April 13. The new local event hosted by the Frontier Hub for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, Malheur Education Service District, and the OSU Extension Office for Malheur County brought together students, scientists, and all sorts of creatives, including crafters and hobbyists, to showcase their work. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Nyssa High School student Quinn Wilkinson shows off her mini arcade machine at the Malheur Maker Faire, Saturday, April 13, at Four River’s Cultural Center. The new local event hosted by the Frontier Hub for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, Malheur Education Service District, and the OSU Extension Office for Malheur County brought together students, scientists, and all sorts of creatives, including crafters and hobbyists, to showcase their work. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)The Malheur Maker Faire, Saturday, April 13 at Four Rivers Cultural Center, showcased a variety of different items made by area residents, including art, food, drones, computers and clothes. The new local event hosted by the Frontier Hub for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, Malheur Education Service District, and the OSU Extension Office for Malheur County brought together students, scientists, and all sorts of creatives, including crafters and hobbyists, to showcase their work. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)A drone negotiates through a lighted obstacle course at the Malheur Maker Faire, Saturday, April 13, at Four River’s Cultural Center. The new local event hosted by the Frontier Hub for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, Malheur Education Service District, and the OSU Extension Office for Malheur County brought together students, scientists, and all sorts of creatives, including crafters and hobbyists, to showcase their work.(The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)The Vale High School Robotics Team was also on hand at the faire. These two youngsters tried out the robots under the watchful eye of Vale High School Robotics instructor Jim Schaffeld. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)Area residents filtered in and out of the Four Rivers Cultural Center during the Malheur Maker Faire, Saturday, April 13. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)
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