The witching hour is a term that refers to a specific time in the night when supernatural events are said to occur. This time is typically believed to be around midnight or 3 a.m. and is often associated with witches and their activities. During the witching hour, many people believe that the boundaries between the living and the dead become blurred, allowing for increased spiritual activity. It is said to be a time when witches and other supernatural beings are most active and when their powers are at their strongest.
Noah Speed (left) and Forrest Hart (right) crank a wheel to launch bottle rockets. This is one of many STEAM-focused activities at The Magic House's first permanent location in St. Louis.
Lower says these kinds of experiences are essential, and making them available for kids of all backgrounds is one step toward making future tech jobs accessible, too. With their generous support, The Magic House, MADE for Kids is able to offer a variety of free admission opportunities to ensure that all children have the opportunity to visit this unique makerspace.
It is said to be a time when witches and other supernatural beings are most active and when their powers are at their strongest. One lunar event that is often associated with the witching hour is the full moon. The full moon has long been thought to have a mystical influence and is often associated with increased supernatural activity.
The Magic House Teams Up On Makerspace For Kids In St. Louis
Alexandra Wessels (right) builds a rainbow Lego hotel with twins Sophie (middle) and Cecie (left) Goeller on the first day of a summer camp at The Magic House at MADE. Roughly 30,000 people are expected to visit the space by the end of the year.
Through the doors of the Magic House at MADE, kids are testing rocket launchers, designing video game characters and learning how to use 3D printers.
This new satellite location on Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis is a recent expansion from the children’s museum’s flagship in Kirkwood. What’s different is the focus on entrepreneurship.
“MADE stands for makers, artists, designers and entrepreneurs, so we’ve divided our space into those four areas,” says Beth Fitzgerald, president of The Magic House.
It’s a partnership between the children’s museum and some well-known innovators in St. Louis like entrepreneur Jim McKelvey and the Cortex Innovation Community. Their goal with this new space is to inspire the next wave of entrepreneurs and creatives, most especially in underserved neighborhoods in north St. Louis.
“We’re trying to reach young makers, and everybody is a maker in their heart. I believe every human, especially little humans, like building things,” McKelvey said.
The Making Of MADE
McKelvey always wanted to create a makerspace in St. Louis. The co-founder of Square and Third Degree Glass, among other ventures, was inspired by glassblowing and woodworking early on in life.
“When I was a kid we didn’t have makerspaces like this, but I was always jealous of the guy with a table saw in his garage or somebody’s father who had a welding machine or whose mother had some really cool equipment,” he said. “So as soon as I had the chance, opening a place like this was absolutely something I was going to do.”
McKelvey funded the MADE building, which his Third Degree Class co-founder Doug Auer renovated. The adult makerspace opened up in November, just a year after TechShop filed for bankruptcy. The national makerspace had operated in St. Louis in the Cortex Innovation Community, and CEO Dennis Lower was holding on to over $1 million in equipment — like a water jet, laser cutter and woodworking shop.
“The business model is that I paid for everything, and Dennis, the guys at Cortex got us equipment for basically a buck a year,” McKelvey said. “So we have this super sweetheart deal on the equipment, we have this super sweetheart deal on the space and we’re just trying to cover our costs. I’m hoping it breaks even.”
The Magic House came to MADE with a similar mission to offer a makerspace that’s affordable for all families. While its Kirkwood location charges $12 a day, a day admission to the St. Louis location is just $5. A yearlong family pass is $50, and scholarships are available for summer camps.
That’s thanks in part to a $500,000 donation from Cortex, specifically to cover entrance fees for kids from underserved neighborhoods.
Credit Corinne Ruff | St. Louis Public RadioNoah Speed (left) and Forrest Hart (right) crank a wheel to launch bottle rockets. This is one of many STEAM-focused activities at The Magic House's first permanent location in St. Louis.
Kids are allowed to play with whatever sparks their curiosity. Digital easels, pottery wheels and laser cutters are all designed to develop skills in science, technology, engineering, art and math. Lower says these kinds of experiences are essential, and making them available for kids of all backgrounds is one step toward making future tech jobs accessible, too.
“Our horizons are determined by what we are exposed to. And so if we’re looking to bring the next gen into the STEM and STEAM professions, we have to start now, we have to captivate their imaginations,” Lower said. “We have to show them what they can do with their hands and their mind.”
A Makers Village
For McKelvey, Lower and others involved in the makers movement, it’s not just about creating one makerspace — but an entire village along Delmar Boulevard between Kingshighway Boulevard and Union Boulevard.
That would include more work shops and retail locations where entrepreneurs could sell their wares. At the end of June, MADE, The Magic House and Third Degree Glass will host the first Delmar Makers Fair for artists and designers to showcase their work.
“What we’re trying to do is make a makers genius cluster,” McKelvey said. “So if you look at the history of other parts of the world that have exceptional talent that’s really deep in an area, what you find is people with similar but not identical backgrounds clustering together. So, we’re hoping to do that with makers here,” he said.
Currently, about a half-dozen businesses operate out of the MADE space, and McKelvey hopes that number rises to 20 or 30 within a year.
He’s also hoping these makers serve as role models to the kids up on the second floor, as they develop their own entrepreneurial skills to market and sell their designs.
“We don’t expect everyone to come in here and build a business. I expect most people will come in here and have fun,” he said, “but there are also those people who will start businesses, and the point is, we have all the tools here to do that.”
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That would include more work shops and retail locations where entrepreneurs could sell their wares. At the end of June, MADE, The Magic House and Third Degree Glass will host the first Delmar Makers Fair for artists and designers to showcase their work.
During a full moon, many people believe that the witching hour is at its peak, with witches and other supernatural beings taking advantage of the moon's energy to carry out their activities. While the witching hour and its association with the full moon may be steeped in folklore and superstition, there are still many who believe in its power and take precautions to protect themselves during this time. Some people may choose to stay indoors, light candles, or perform rituals to ward off any negative influences. Whether you believe in the witching hour and its association with the full moon or not, it is clear that this concept has had a significant impact on folklore and culture. It has been featured in literature, movies, and other forms of media, often portrayed as a time of danger and mystery. In conclusion, the witching hour is a time in the night when supernatural events are said to occur. It is often associated with the full moon and is a time when witches and other supernatural beings are believed to be most active. While the exact nature of the witching hour may be debated, its influence on folklore and culture is undeniable..
Reviews for "The Witching Hour Lunar Event: A Time for Spiritual Awakening"
1. John - 2/5: I was really excited for the Witching Hour lunar event, but I ended up being very disappointed. The event felt rushed and lackluster. The gameplay was repetitive and the rewards were underwhelming. I expected more from this event, especially considering the hype leading up to it. Overall, it fell short of my expectations and I won't be participating in future lunar events.
2. Sarah - 3/5: I found the Witching Hour lunar event to be quite underwhelming. The concept sounded promising, but the execution was poor. The event quests were repetitive and became tedious after a while. The rewards were also not as enticing as I had hoped. I was expecting more unique and exclusive items, but they were mostly generic and didn't stand out. The event had potential, but it fell short in delivering a truly engaging and exciting experience.
3. Adam - 2/5: The Witching Hour lunar event was a letdown for me. The event quests were uninteresting and offered no challenge. It felt like a grindfest with no real payoff. The event decorations were also lackluster and didn't create a festive atmosphere. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity to create a memorable and immersive experience. I hope future events will be better thought out and more engaging.