Maker Faire is this weekend!

Every year thousands of makers and tinkerers and builders and creators descend on San Mateo to show off what they do. Maker Faire is glorious anarchy, a huge event that somehow feels barely held together.

Part science fair, part county fair, part zoo exhibit where the Bay Area's creative folk are put on display to the Mundanes. As a family event, Maker Faire is lousy with children, but they're generally struck dumb with wonder and well-behaved. Your bloggess has always attended MF as a "maker", which is to say part of the the entertainment; this will be her first year as a journalist. Will report back with news of crazy things people are making!

I'll be looking for developments in wearable tech and LED projects in particular, with a side of 3D printing and milling. 3D Systems CTO and stereolithography printing inventor Chuck Hull is presenting on Sunday. I'm torn between going on Sunday for that or on Saturday for the "Future of 3D Printing" panel! I'll check out Andrew Kaye's Kinect-based 3D scanner (booth 747) and I'll be visiting with the OtherFab folks in the Northeast side of the Expo Hall, checking out their amazing desktop CNC milling machine, the Othermill. (Booth 415!)

Plus I'm going to check out Fabule Fabrications'  programmable, touch-sensitive, task/ambient lamp that looks like a neotenous jellyfish spaceship puppy, Clyde. ( I want the limited edition cherry wood version soooo badly!) If you're coming to Maker Faire, say hi - I'll be the lady with the turquoise hair in the sparkly urban mermaid outfit!