'Maker Fest' to be part of Kochi Design Week

Kochi Design Week (KDW) to be held next month will feature the 'Maker Fest 2019' that will see the country's largest congregation of youngsters with an innovative mind.

The event to be held from December 12 to 14 at Bolgatty Palace here will feature the Maker Fest on the last day, as the Indian continuation of Maker Faire held in the US, according to a release here on Wednesday.

The festival here brings together makers, innovators, technologists, enthusiasts and artists from different parts of the country, it said.

Besides workshops, the festival will showcase their collaborations and share the delegates ideas, projects, products and activities.

Maker Fest was organised for the first time in November last year.

The aim has been to bring in makers, mostly youngsters, to build sustainable products that can make a social impact.

The event gains particular focus in Kerala, given that the southern state has the largest number of maker spaces, FabLab and Atal tinkering labs in the country.

Kerala IT Secretary M Sivasankar said the Maker Fest will encourage FabLabs and Atal labs in the state.

KDW Special Officer Arun Balachandran, who is Chief Minister's Fellow (IT), said the Maker Fest seeks to nurture a maker culture in the new generation.

The December 14 event will see exhibition of projects, products and installation by makers, innovators artists and school students, the release said.

It said innovators, artists and school students who wish to showcase their projects, artwork and ideas at the event can sign up at 'makerfestkerala.com.'