Who’s up for setting some Guinness World Records?
Fans of the game Minecraft should save Oct. 15-16. That’s when the first-ever Minefaire takes place at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, with more than 150,000 square feet of hands-on attractions for families to enjoy.
Created by two Bucks County dads, Minefaire will feature Build Battles and Challenges for kids and adults; an opportunity to play in “Star Wars” and “Jurassic” mods; four stages of presentations covering topics like “Beginners Guide to Minecraft Mods,” “Minecraft Coding for Newbies” and “Transforming Education through Games;” meet-and-greets with Minecraft YouTube superstars; a Minecraft costume contest for kids and adults; Deep Dive workshops; a Lego mosaic of Minecraft Creeper; new, rare and custom Minecraft items; a 40-piece orchestra performing music to open each day; and booths from the Franklin Institute, the United States Geological Survey and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
In a press release, Minefaire co-creator Chad Collins said: “Minefaire is all about connecting with your kids through their favorite game, Minecraft. We were determined to create a one-of-a-kind experience that ensures children are building valuable learning skills as they play. Our kids may live in a digital world, but at Minefaire, they come together as a community to share ideas, collaborate and build social skills. We truly believe we’re inspiring the next generation of innovators.”
Putting that on my calendar now. What are the hours?
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday the 15th and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday the 16th.
So what are the world record attempts?
Guinness representatives will be on hand as Minefaire seeks to set records, including the largest convention for a single video game. Minecraft is the second-highest-selling standalone video game of all time (only outranked by Tetris), with more than 100 million copies sold, according to the game creators.
Do we need tickets? All-inclusive tickets are $69, free for ages 2 and under. Go to www.minefaire.com or call (866) 442-4433.
Where’s this place?The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center is at 100 Station Ave., Upper Providence. If you’re using GPS, it’s 1601 Egypt Road, Phoenixville.
Quick introduction for newbies
Created in 2009, and sometimes called this generation’s “Super Mario,” Minecraft is a virtual game where you build new worlds, block by block, by mining the resources you find. Sometimes referred to as “virtual Lego,” you can play with friends, strangers, or by yourself, on a computer, phone, tablet or game console. Some users have created simple towns and cities, and others have built worlds like King’s Landing from “Game of Thrones.”
