About this time in 2015, Caroline and I happened to be visiting the Central Library and nipped into the Discover Centre only to see kids building Chinese Lanterns on the little stage. We got talking to one of the librarians, Denise, and wondered if we could maybe build little robots with kids. Denise suggested taking the whole room and running a mini maker event. So, two weeks later, we met up with her and her boss and before we knew it we’d expanded to 3 floors of the library and the first Makefest was born!
Six weeks of frantic work behind the scenes by an amazing team of people from Liverpool’s maker community and every pitch had been snapped up. The makers certainly wanted the event, but would the people of Liverpool come? The answer was a resounding YES and literally thousands thronged the library that day… and so what started as a small idea, and maybe a ‘one off’ at that, was a huge success. We can remember being asked by one of the reporters during the event, ‘So will you be running it again next year?’… and we looked at each other and said ‘ …we guess so!’ Makefest, it seemed, was here to stay
So, after a few months break, the team geared up for 2016. It turned out to be an even bigger event, covering 4 floors and even spilling outside. Mersey ComicCon came along too and we had over 60 stalls of wonderful makey-based things going on… which brings us to now and prepping for 2017.
Well, Caroline and I have decided that it’s time for us at least, to step out of the spotlight, take a backseat (we’re still on the board) and hand over the reins to some of our maker chums. Makefest was and always will be, a community event, and so it seems only right that Liverpool’s maker community gets to run with it. So whilst our co-founder Denise remains at the library helm, our own roles this year are being taken over by Mark Sabino (aka Beano) and Jen Fenner, who between them have more umph, creativity, sparkle and organizational nouse that you can shake a stick at! It’ll be an amazing day… so head on down to the Central Library on Saturday June 24th and enjoy yourselves!
Mark & Caroline x