So, on September 28th, we got to present at the Buffalo Mini-Maker Faire at the Park School. The idea behind Maker Faires is to showcase things that people are doing with their skills, ways they are reusing things that have worn out their intended lifespan, encouraging people to think creatively, and to empower, engage, and encourage people to do things like this themselves. Craftspeople, inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs were all in attendance, manning booths, giving hands-on demonstrations, and answering all manner of questions.

While my wife was doing a community embroidery display, my son was teaching kids how to solder, and our friend was off making art, I got to show off the bus. We were in a sort of ‘vehicle area’, and the bus was right across the road from a very cool vintage VW Campervan and a boat that was built by local students.

I brought out a solar panel for display, even with the cloudy, rain-threatening afternoon. (Though I really wish that I’d had the time and materials to give it a new coat of paint – what’s there is still the Rustoleum that I put on in 2008!)

I set up a couple of laptops to do slideshows of pictures of the bus in progress, and show some of the dashcam videos, and a few of the books that I have. And of course, people could come right up on the bus and look around.

I got a lot of kids who were amazed by a school bus that wasn’t a school bus and several adults who wanted to do something like building out a skoolie, but felt too intimidated by the prospect.  At some level, even though our bus isn’t done, the in-process aspect seemed to make people realize that it’s a big project and it doesn’t all have to be ‘finished’ to be fun.

And that’s a great take-away from an event like this.  Hopefully, we’ll get to do it again next year.