Maker Faire Bay Area 2011

The ultimate 21st century county fair, Maker Faire Bay Area 2011 mashes items possessing an On/Off switch with old-fashioned human curiosity, resulting in a round-up of robots, musical Tesla coils, fresh-squeezed sunflower oil, futuristic chariot races, antique pinball machines, super-sized Lego projects, and more neon, flame, and brightly gaseous glows than are normally seen outside an MIT lab.

A schedule of today's events is available here.

A celebration of DIY culture, Maker Faire Bay Area 2011 runs Saturday-Sunday, May 21-22, at the San Mateo County Event Center, 1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo. Saturday, 10am to 8pm; Sunday, 10am to 6pm. $5-$25; 3 and under are free. www.makerfaire.com