Norwich Science Festival

COVID-19 update:

From Wednesday 1 April, The Forum will be operating with a reduced team. As a result, our Forum Trust Norwich Science Festival team are being furloughed at the current time and therefore unable to carry out any contracted work due to Government guidelines on furloughing. This is intended to be a temporary situation and please be assured that we plan to go ahead with many of our normal activities, including Norwich Science Festival. This is a unique situation which we are all assessing day by day and week by week. We will be in touch soon and we remain committed to our work with our partners, our friends and our community. If you have a query that can’t wait, please direct it to [email protected] and you will receive a reply. We apologise in advance if this takes a little longer than usual.

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Bookmark your diaries for the Norwich Science Festival 2020!

Organisers of the award-winning Norwich Science Festival have revealed this year’s dates for the ever-popular celebration of science and curiosity.

The fifth Norwich Science Festival will run Saturday 24–Saturday 31 October, during the October half-term, with plenty of activities, talks, workshops and shows for all.

The Festival recently won both Family Event And Experience of the Year and Marketing Campaign Of The Year at the Norfolk & Suffolk Tourism Awards.

Names already booked for this year include BBC Springwatch and Countryfile presenter Kate Humble, neurosurgeon Henry Marsh, and evolutionary biologist, primatologist and broadcaster Prof Ben Garrod.

Plus, each day during the Festival, there will be free hands-on science activities for everyone to enjoy at The Forum, in the dedicatedExplorium science zones inside the building and in the marquee outside, sponsored by Norwich Accountancy Services. Themes in The Explorium will include digital technology, physics and space, engineering, material science, health and medicine, zoology, and sustainability and the environment.

There will also be a special relaxed day on the ‘Festival Eve’ of Friday 23 October, where young people with autism or other special educational needs can experience inspiring science and hands-on fun without the crowds.

The Festival is coordinated by The Forum, Norwich, and is a partnership initiative involving many organisations from across the region. Last year, over 137,000 visits were made to Science Festival events across the nine days, and generated an estimated economic value of over £2,716,000 to the local economy.

Natalie Bailey, Science Festival Producer, said: “We were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and curiosity of last year’s visitors, who attended in astounding numbers and eagerly engaged with inspiring scientists and organisations. We hope this year to encourage new audiences to give science a go and discover the workings of our amazing world. We’re really pleased to welcome back as sponsors Norwich Accountancy Services, Vattenfall, Briar Chemicals and Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure, and look forward to working with our fantastic partners, venues, patrons and contributors to bring you another week of incredible science fun.”

Last year, over 340 scientists and contributors from UEA and the wider Norwich Research Park took part in Norwich Science Festival, showcasing the cutting-edge research that takes place in our region.

Prof David Richardson, UEA’s Vice-Chancellor, said: “We are delighted to be involved again with the Norwich Science Festival. Bringing to life the research impact of UEA, and our partners on the Norwich Research Park, in the centre of the city is a fantastic way to engage more people in the exciting ways that science can shape a better world. With a major UN environmental conference called COP26 taking place in the UK in November, this year’s Festival provides an opportunity to understand more about how science can provide evidence and research-based solutions for policy-makers and governments around the world.”

To keep up-to-date with announcements, follow @NorwichSciFest on Twitter, or Norwich Science Festival on Facebook and Instagram, and keep an eye on norwichsciencefestival.co.uk for headline announcements in July and the full programme at the start of September.

 

About the Norwich Science Festival

Celebrate the wonderful world of experiments, discoveries, exploration and innovation at Norwich Science Festival this October. Enjoy inspirational exhibitions, hands-on family activities, inspiring celebrity talks and sensational shows at The Forum, and at other venues around the city. This is a festival for all age groups and all levels of knowledge, organised by The Forum with support from partnership organisations including Norwich Research Park and UEA. The 2020 Festival patrons include Prof Ben Garrod – evolutionary biologist and great ape conservationist, Lizzie Daly –– TV presenter and wildlife biologist, and Mark Thompson – astronomer, broadcaster and author. Sponsors for 2020 include Norwich Accountancy Services, Vattenfall, Briar Chemicals and Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure.

Explore the Norwich Science Festival website for the full programme norwichsciencefestival.co.uk  and follow Norwich Science Festival on Twitter and Facebook.

 

About The Forum

The Forum, in the centre of Norwich, is one of the UK’s most successful Millennium projects.

It’s a public building, open seven days a week, all year round (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day).

Everyone is welcome. Most of the public events, exhibitions and activities which take place at The Forum are free.

The Forum Trust is the independent, self-financing, charitable organisation which manages The Forum building.

It is responsible for The Forum’s continued development, growth and innovation.

The Trust works with many partners to ensure The Forum plays a valuable role in the community.

Details about the charitable ‘project purpose’ which underpins The Forum are on the website

www.theforumnorwich.co.uk

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