Annual festival is about to unleash spirit of making

There’s still time to join in the spirit of making during the ninth-annual West Virginia Makes Festival. The RCBI-sponsored event will take place Friday, Nov. 4, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Memorial Student Center on Marshall University’s Huntington campus.

Artists, engineers, inventors, hobbyists, manufacturers, students and other creative types from across the region have registered to exhibit their creations, demonstrate their making techniques – and compete for cash and other prizes in the Design Challenge. People of all ages are encouraged to participate. Makers are free to sell their creations during the event.

In addition, presenters from across the state will provide hands-on activities to spark the imagination, bend the mind, and tantalize the senses. Activities will include crafts, engineering challenges, games, rocket launches, a 3D creation station, drone obstacle course – and even a protect-your-pumpkin drop.

Hundreds of students from West Virginia and beyond are scheduled to attend the festival and take part in these and other interactive STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) activities presented by RCBI, the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia, Heritage Farm Museum & Village, the West Virginia Robotics Alliance, the Huntington Museum of Art, Marshall’s June Harless Center, the Huntington Children’s Museum, Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia, and  others.

The festival is free for everyone; however, design competitors, exhibitors and school groups are asked to register at www.rcbi.org/wvmf2022. For more information, contact Deacon Stone at or 304.781.1659.

The 2022 West Virginia Makes Festival is made possible through the generous support of sponsors that include Putnam County Bank; Edward Tucker Architects; Johnstone & Gabhart, PLLC; and the Schmidt Family Restaurant Group.

  • October 27, 2022

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