Jersey Shore Makerfest Immerses Visitors In Fun In Toms River

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Indulge your creative energies on Saturday at the fifth-annual Jersey Shore Makerfest and Green Fair.

The free event that celebrates experimentation, creativity and encourages hands-on learning will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the RWJ Barnabas Health Arena on the campus of Toms River High School North, Old Freehold Road.

There are expected to be nearly 100 makers, covering everything from the latest in 3D printing and coding to old-school creativity such as needlework and the ancient art of bonsai.

The founders of the event, Marc Natanagara, Toms River Regional Schools assistant superintendent, and Tiffany Lucey, supervisor of educational technology for the district, describe it as a "free-wheeling celebration of creativity and imagination that's equal parts MythBusters, science lab, county fair, and art studio."

There are booths and workshops, a drone/remote control field, EdTalks, competitive and instructional robotics arenas, and the annual town Green Fair. This year the event is creating SkillsSpaces, with mini workshops on soldering, programming, woodwork, 3D printing, laser cutting, the maker mindset, and more.

More than 400 makers and 14,000 attendees have taken part in the past four years, the district says. See who will be attending this year on the Jersey Shore Makerfest website.

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