I apologize in advance for the long email.
last night. They've extended the registration deadline for makers to the end of this month. They've got ~ 30 makers registered and have a request of us. They have our registration as MMS but they want to do proper marketing (actually the area business alliance will do the marketing) and so they've asked that individual makers go to their website and register so they can collect details of each exhibit and get the word out to interested parties to draw a crowd.
See
https://makerfairepleasantprairie.com/
They plan to stuff goody bags at the area's Prime Outlets with flyers urging people that are in the area shopping to stop by and check out the maker faire. Radio/TV/Newspaper and social media will all be peppered with advertising for this event both in SE Wisconsin as well as NE Illinois all the way to the North Suburbs of Chicago. It is the Saturday following Black Friday which has been hyped as "shop local Saturday" and they are hopeful they will draw quite a crowd.
It is a short event 10:00 am - 3:00 pm so I realize it may be a lot of work to haul and setup for that short a period of time. They do have space for blacksmiths and welding or other flame/smoke/fume creating exhibits. They will have food vendors and may provide funding for exhibitors for make & take exhibits if the committee deems it warranted/desirable. For instance they are purchasing material so that a local HS (LakeView Technical Academy) will bring their vacuum table, with students to operate it, and allow kids to come in and form their own mask that they can then cut out, decorate, and take with for free.
They'd asked if it is possible to setup the Nerdy Derby track and do a second make & take type event. I can help with the transport and setup and cut and provide the blocks of wood. I don't have the time myself to print enough wheels for an event of this size but they'd be fine with fender washers and nails (tacks) for axles/wheels they've already approved funding for materials for cars and decorations. They can also find volunteers to run races and help with decorating for people that make cars if required.
They have arranged bus transpiration between the local Boys & Girls Club as well as the local YMCA for people interested from the City of Kenosha that can't find transportation out to Pleasant Prairie.
I plan to setup an exhibit with one of my ULS Lasers that will just run in demo mode not actually cutting material (so I don't need to vent it.) I'll also set up one of my delta style 3D printers with a long running print job for people to watch.
Nearby or perhaps within my booth there will be a kiosk collecting contact information from individuals who live nearby that would join a Pleasant Prairie based makerspace. We're in discussions with local businesses about securing a location in the
WisPark LakeView Corporate Park for a new makerspace, those discussions are proving fruitful.
The downtown Kenosha "Creative Space" project got some bad news when two of the organizations that had made multi-year pledges of funds were served notice their future funding had been cut. I'm certain they will work things out and eventually open their doors but this is certainly a setback for them.