The 2024 science festival begins!

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Sidmouth Science Festival returns this weekend with Super Science Saturday taking place around the town centre on 5 October 10.30am to 4.30pm. This popular family-friendly day offers an exciting array of free activities and talks designed to engage all ages in scientific learning and exploration.

The day is packed with hands-on activities, live demonstrations, and plenty of opportunities for learning and fun. Participants can investigate topics including geology, chemistry, maths and engineering while creating fun take-home projects. Activities range from kite-making, motor-building and bubble-blowing to exploring micrometeorites and creepy crawlies.

Activities take place throughout the day at Kennaway House, the Parish Church and the Sid Vale Association HQ on Church Street. The Geology Hub, with talks, activities, fossils and exhibitors is at All Saints Church.

Children can complete the dinosaur trail card and also have a go at the town centre chemical element treasure hunt.

In Kennaway House, local schoolchildren are showcasing their creativity with an art display themed around ‘What We Throw Away’, highlighting environmental issues through their artwork.

The festival continues throughout the week to 13 October, offering an extensive programme of talks and events. Topics range from artificial intelligence and health to biodiversity, with engaging sessions including Science in the Pub on Thursday evening 10 October at the Blue Ball in Sidford. Robot Day returns to All Saints on 12 October with a range of hands-on robotic activities, including remote-control experiments.

The festival ends with a family day at the Norman Lockyer Observatory on Sunday 13 October, where visitors can build and launch rockets and jet cars, explore the telescopes, attend planetarium shows, listen to engaging speakers and take part in storytelling sessions.

The festival highlights the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) fields, illustrating their importance in many aspects of our world. With a strong emphasis on making science accessible, the festival features activities that cater to both enthusiasts and those who may not typically engage with scientific topics.

Thanks to generous sponsorship, most events are free of charge. Donations are welcome to cover all costs and sustain the festival for the future and can be made on the day or via the website.

Printed programmes are available from Tourist Information Centres, libraries and other outlets or can be downloaded here in PDF format (1.4MB).