Science enthusiasts, curious minds and fun-seekers of all ages should get ready for a day of fun at the 2023 Indian River Lagoon Science Festival on Saturday, November 18, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Fort Pierce. Returning for its eighth year, this FREE day of discovery promises to be a blast for the whole family with dozens of hands-on, minds-on activities exploring the wonders of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). The Indian River Lagoon Science Festival aims to show not only the importance of science, but also to highlight how fun it can be.
Discover the vast STEAM resources along the Indian River Lagoon with more than 70 Treasure Coast organizations and their engaging exhibits. Just a few of the activities that participants can enjoy this year include:
- Controlling underwater remotely-operated vehicles with the Smithsonian Marine Station
- Exploring a life-size inflatable humpback whale with FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
- Creating eco-art at the World of Away Exhibit with the Oxbow Eco-Center
- Witnessing a tornado machine in action with National Weather Service
- Getting up close and personal with the animals of Treasure Coast Wildlife Center
- Enjoying explosive science stage shows with Mad Science of Palm Beach
- Becoming a Junior Sea Turtle Biologist with Loggerhead Marinelife Center
- Scrubbing in and practicing being a surgeon with Little Medical School of the Treasure Coast
- Constructing an erupting volcano with Indian River State College Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society
And …
- Free admission to Smithsonian Exhibit at the St. Lucie County Aquarium and
- Regional History Center
For those looking to get more involved, volunteer registration is still open! Science festival enthusiasts ages 16 and older are needed to join the team for setup, breakdown, or anything in between on November 18th. Registration is online at irlsciencefest.org/be-a-volunteer.
To fuel the STEAM-filled exploration of festival-goers, food trucks will be on-site. Getting to the festival is a breeze with free parking available in the Downtown Fort Pierce Parking Garage and complimentary trolley transport to the festival site. The City of Fort Pierce also offers a free Uber-like service called Freebee that’s available for residents inside the Community Redevelopment Area, which includes downtown and the South Beach area.
The IRL Science Festival has been made possible through the generous support of the Smithsonian Marine Station, B.94.7 Fresh Country, 93.7 GYL, Waste Pro, St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners, Mad Science of Palm Beach, City of Fort Pierce, and Treasure Coast Almanac. Established in 2014, the festival aims to demonstrate that science is meaningful and fun, to make science accessible to all residents of the Treasure Coast, and to highlight STEAM resources in the IRL region. The festival planning committee is made up of volunteer organizers from local governments and research, education and non-profit organizations, and administrative support is largely provided by the Smithsonian Marine Station.
A member of the Science Festival Alliance (www.sciencefestivals.org) since 2013, the IRL Science Festival serves as a leader in promoting science and science festivals across the state of Florida. For more information about all festival partners, exhibitors, sponsors, and scheduled activities, visit www.irlsciencefest.org. #IRLsciencefest
