NI Science Festival rolls into North Down next month

23rd January 2025

12-day extravaganza brings science to life with hundreds of events across Northern Ireland!

NI Science Festival has officially launched its 2025 programme and will make its way to the North Down area as part of a 12-day extravaganza that will bring science to life with hundreds of events across Northern Ireland from 12th – 23rd February.

Established in 2014, NI Science Festival has grown to become the largest celebration of its kind on the island of Ireland and one of the leading science festivals in Europe.

For its 11th edition, the festival will present more than 300 events across Northern Ireland, focusing on our rich and diverse natural environment, our engineering and manufacturing heritage, sustainability, technology, the mind and body, and much more.

NI Science Festival director Sarah Jones said: “The NI Science Festival is a celebration of science, creativity, and the world around us, designed to be engaging and enjoyable for everyone. Over 12 days, the festival will pop up in venues across Northern Ireland, showcasing the incredible work of local researchers and scientists alongside some well-known guest speakers. This year’s programme is packed with exciting events for all ages, offering something for everyone. It’s an opportunity to embrace the joy of discovery, explore the power of ideas, and celebrate the possibilities science brings to our everyday lives.”

The festival’s regional roadshow will touch down in Bangor with a series of events, including Chemistry and the Celts on Wednesday 12th February at SPACE in the South Eastern Regional College campus. An immersive exploration into the world of the Irish Celts with Scientific Sue, this engaging show, supported by Almac, brings ancient traditions to life, blending the wonders of chemistry with the rich tapestry of Celtic history.

Dr Frances Weldon, Associate Director STEM Outreach, Almac Group, said: “We are deeply committed to supporting STEM education at Almac and as such we’re delighted to partner with NI Science Festival in the Chemistry and the Celts show and to receive funding from the Arts and Business NI Investment Programme. Chemistry is a core discipline and career area at Almac. This collaborative project delivers entertaining chemistry content through arts and history, sparking children’s curiosity and stimulating them to think about chemistry as part of everyday life.”

Also taking place at SPACE is Look Closer where little explorers embark on a fun-filled journey of discovery into nature’s wonders with screenings of BBC/CBeebies Tiny Wonders followed by hands-on experiments in Mini Lab Zones where the budding researchers will get to use real microscopes and take a closer look at fascinating little curiosities from nature.

On Sunday 16th February at The Court House, Kathryn Harkup presents A is for Arsenic, a talk investigating the poisons used by the murderer in fourteen classic Agatha Christie mysteries.

At the Ulster Transport Museum in Cultra on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd February teacher and television presenter Grace Webb will host Grace’s Transport Timeline where families are invited to step back in time to explore some of the incredible machines on display and find out how these machines have evolved into really cool gadgets ready for life in the 21st century.

For more information and to view the full programme, visit nisciencefestival.com.