Family-Friendly Concert, Kidszone Slated for 7th Annual Maker Faire in Kansas City

Union Station, KCPT and The Bridge have announced a partnership that will introduce a dedicated kidszone and Saturday night concert featuring rhythm and blues musician Anderson East to the 7th Annual Maker Faire Kansas City, June 24 - 25, at Union Station. Both the KCPT kidszone and Saturday night concert are new featured attractions to this year's Faire and will be one of the first events hosted in the spacious, new outdoor Haverty Family Yards.

"I'm excited to have KCPT and The Bridge be a part of such a wonderful event for our community," Kliff Kuehl, president and CEO, KCPT and The Bridge, said. "We love working with Union Station and bringing music from 90.9 The Bridge and family-friendly activities and entertainment from our new 24/7 PBS Kids Channel to Maker Faire is the next step to this incredible partnership. I'm really looking forward to a great weekend."

The KCPT kidszone will feature multiple Maker stations such as Splash & Bubbles, Peg + Cat Measuring Tool Activity, Jet and Music Makers, Make KCPT Kids TV and more. The space will also welcome appearances from favorite KCPT characters such as Peg and Jet, as well as stage performances from local family-friendly favorites including Janie Next Door, Drum Safari and Audiobody.

Saturday evening, June 25, the outdoor space will be transformed for a concert sponsored by 90.9 The Bridge featuring East as well as local, special guests Chris Meck and The Guilty Birds. Doors open at 6 p.m. and Chris Meck and the Guilty Birds take the stage at 7 p.m.. Concert tickets are only $10. Entry to Maker Faire requires a separate ticket purchase. Tickets are on sale now at makerfairekc.eventbrite.com. The public is strongly encouraged to purchase tickets in advance as the concert is expected to be a sell-out. For more information, visit kansascity.makerfaire.com.

"We couldn't be more honored to partner with KCPT and The Bridge and bring more hands-on, family-friendly educational and entertainment opportunities to the 7th Annual Maker Faire Kansas City," George Guastello, president and CEO, Union Station, said. "Each year, we look to our partners to assist in bringing more unique STEAM learning to the community. KCPT and The Bridge are once again helping us deliver on our mission. This is shaping up to be the best Maker Faire KC yet!"

To learn more about Maker Faire Kansas City, or to purchase tickets to the concert and/or Maker Faire, visit kansascity.makerfaire.com.

Union Station Kansas City -- a 501(c)3 non-profit organization -- is a 103-year-old historical landmark and celebrated civic asset renovated and reopened to the public in 1999. The organization -- dedicated to science education, celebration of community and preservation of history -- is home to Kansas City's internationally-awarded Science City; the new Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium; the Regnier Extreme Screen Theatre; the popular Model Railroad Experience; H&R Block City Stage featuring live theater, and a selection of unique shops and restaurants. Union Station is also home to prominent area civic organizations and businesses, and regularly hosts world-class traveling exhibitions. Awarded "Top Banquet Facilities in KC" by KC Business Journal, the facility regularly hosts community events and private celebrations of all sizes. Visit WWW.UNIONSTATION.ORG for details. Also, follow us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and YOUTUBE.

Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth-a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker Movement. It's a place where people show what they are making, and share what they are learning.

Makers range from tech enthusiasts to crafters to homesteaders to scientists to garage tinkerers. They are of all ages and backgrounds. The aim of Maker Faire is to entertain, inform, connect and grow this community.

The original Maker Faire event was held in San Mateo, CA and in 2016 celebrated its eleventh annual show with some 1300 makers and 150,000 people in attendance. World Maker Faire New York, the other flagship event, has grown in five years to 900+ makers and 95,000 attendees. Forty larger scale Maker Faires occur in cities around the world-Detroit, Atlanta, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, and Shenzhen to name a few- and over 150 community-driven, independently organized Mini Maker Faires are now being produced in the United States and in 37 other countries around the world.

KCPT believes in the power of media on every platform and seeks to use that power to enrich, engage and entertain our viewers both on-air and online. We strive to advance conversations through community engagement and social media; explore complicated issues facing our region with ongoing reporting, investigative reports and informed discussions; and share the stories of people, places, and progress in our community. Learn more at kcpt.org. Follow KCPT's digital magazine for local storytelling at flatlandkc.org.

The Bridge is a nonprofit, community-owned radio station serving the greater Kansas City area that provides programming and services. For more information about The Bridge's programs and services, or to become a member and support public radio in Kansas City, go to bridge909.org.

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