From 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Oct. 19, Marymount of Santa Barbara will host a Family-Friendly Maker Fair in Santa Barbara on its Riviera campus at 911 Tremonto Ave.

The free event, designed to be both fun and educational, is open to all ages and will give opportunities for invitees to tap into their creativity by doing hands-on activities like building robots, designing instruments, composing music using unusual musical “keys,” creating works of art with marbles, designing and testing boats, and taking a close look at DNA, the blue-print of life.

Parent participation is encouraged for younger children, and no previous experience is necessary to participate.

The activities will be facilitated by Marymount teachers and STEM experts, art faculty and several community partners such as the the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit,  Circuit Scribe and Bruker nano, and will make use of Marymount’s new Innovation Labs, science laboratories and learning spaces.

When asked about the upcoming Oct. 19 event, a Marymount mother of a second-grader replied, “When did learning get this fun? I’m jealous! I don’t remember getting to do this stuff when I was a kid!”

To this a Marymount teacher responded, “Yes, there have been a few changes in education since we were all kids. … Don’t worry, parents get to participate, too!”

Makers of all ages and levels are encouraged to come join this exciting community event that highlights the making process and celebrates creativity through interactive and hands-on experiences. Arrive early as we know you won’t want to leave!

Marymount is an independent coeducational school, junior kindergarten through eighth grade, on a picturesque 10-acre campus nestled on the Santa Barbara Riviera.

— Molly Seguel is the admission director for Marymount of Santa Barbara.