MakerX: The Columbus Maker Expo will be held on April 21. MakerX is a public festival of digital design and creation with over 60 exhibits and activities for all ages. The event will feature drones, robots, 3D printing, virtual reality and game development, electronic music and more. 

MakerX has been planned by an all-volunteer committee of educators from Columbus area schools and universities. It will take place from 10am to 5pm at the Performing Arts Center of Reynoldsburg City Schools (8579 Summit Rd, Reynoldsburg) on the 21st.

 “Maker festivals have been popular all over the world for more than ten years” said Dr. William Ball of Capital University and leader of the planning committee. “MakerX is the Columbus area’s maker festival with a distinctive focus on high technology designed to appeal to all ages. Additionally, the festival is being driven by schools and universities in the Columbus area, although there will be many exhibitors from community maker spaces, companies, professionals, clubs, and home workshops.”

The event will showcase live drone racing from BuckeyeFPV, hyperloop demos from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, FIRST and other robotics teams from area schools, virtual reality from Microsoft and Columbus VR Meetup, 3D printing from MakerGear and IC3D, life-sized R2D2 and humanoid robots, electronic music from Fluxmonkey and Capital University’s MIDI band, an underwater robot and electric racing motorcycle from The Ohio State University, and maker space projects and tools from school fablabs, The Point at Otterbein University, Xavier University Library, IDEA Lab at Zane State College, Cloudhaus, and Proto BuildBar.

In addition to the interactive exhibits, prominent speaker sessions led by digital fabricator John Saunders and artist Matthew Mohr will take place at the event, along with programming workshops from COSI and Tech Talent South.

Tickets for MakerX are free (but required) for ages 18 and younger, and $5 for adults. Parking at the event is free and food trucks will be on site. To obtain tickets or more information, please visit www.makerx.org. Tickets will not be available at the door.

MakerX 2018 is hosted by Reynoldsburg City Schools and sponsored by Capital University, Otterbein University, IEEE Columbus, K12.com, MakerGear, and IC3D Printers.