Soapy Soap Company – The Mad Optimist, a beloved Makevention favorite, will be back again this year. The Mad Optimist brand by Soapy Soap Company makes all-natural bar soap in Bloomington, Indiana. They love to show and tell people about their style of soap making. Attendees will be able to participate by mixing in their soap additives such as oatmeal, fennel, clay, etc. Each participant will be able to leave the Soapy Soap Company booth with their very own hand-crafted soap! http://www.soapysoapcompany.com

The Cyberinfrastructure for Network Science Center will be back this year. They’ll have a prototype version of a museum exhibit where you build a data visualization using data you generate. Hands-on exhibits are some of the best things about Makevention! https://cns.iu.edu/

If you like yarn and fiber, you’ll definitely want to check out 2DyeCru Hand-Dyed Yarns, a Makevention regular! They’ll have natural hand-dyed yarns, handmade fiber items, handspun yarns, and spinning fibers.2DyeCru dyes yarn with all-natural plant dyes. Their dyes are made from locally harvested plants or other sustainable sources. Their yarn is similarly sustainably sourced, some locally from Indiana and some from small mills in Missouri, Canada, and England. They also process and spin their own yarn as well as knitting and crocheting with it, which involves them in every step of the yarn-making process, from sheep to project. If you’re interested in what it takes to go from fiber to yarn to finished project, these are the people to ask! Check their webpage! https://2dyecru.wixsite.com/2dyecru

Guess who else is back this year? The Monroe County History Center! They’ll be at Makevention with an interactive history-based activity that highlights their upcoming exhibits and programs. https://monroehistory.org/

Makevention loves the Monroe County Public Library (Indiana), and we’re so glad they are returning this year! They will have information on free maker events at the Library and will also have different fun activities for folks to try at the booth, potentially including things like 3D printing, 3D pens, virtual reality headsets, and LEGOs. http://mcpl.info

Next up, we’re welcoming back the local branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism. They’ll be at Makevention with their classic combo of Medieval style combat and arts and sciences displays! http://mynyddseren.midrealm.org

We’re excited to have the City of Bloomington joining us to highlight their Smart Water Meters and other IoT projects. They’ll be presenting info on their smart water meter program, a diagram of their communication mechanism, and an example of the dashboard for utility payers and staff. They’ll also be surveying attendees about what else the public would like to see the City measure. https://bloomington.in.gov/utilities/smart-meters

SIARA – Southern Indiana Amateur Radio Association will be back again this year. Ham Radio has been around for more than 100 years, but DIGITAL Radio has been around for longer than you think. Come talk to the SIARA members and see what the “DIT” is all about! https://73siara.org/

Wild Endeavor will be joining us again this year. Come check out their magic wands, fabrics, wings, burnt wood magnets, walking staffs, wood products, dragon eyes, electronics art, and wire jewelry. They will be running a wood burner, and children can draw pictures that they will burn into wood for free!

Rebel Purl is a new exhibitor we’re excited to have join us this year. They’ll have hand dyed yarns, hand made items (such as stitch markers, earrings, and knitted items), and knitting patterns at their booth. You should check out their website for beautiful photos of yarn! https://rebelpurl.com/