SCIENCE FESTIVAL PROMISES TO BE OUT OF THIS WORLD

Allan’s Primary School pupils Kayana (P3), Campbell (P2) Angus  (P3) in the Stirling Highland Hotel Observatory.

Stirling's reputation for fun family events will be further enhanced this autumn by the return of Stirling Science Festival.

Spark your imagination and delve into the wonderful world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) this October!

Hosted by Stirling Council, the festival will be held in various venues across the area during the first week of the school holidays (11-14 October), with many kids events FREE to attend.

This year’s festival features a host of exciting activities on the theme ‘Innovations: Past, Present and Future’; from Glasgow Science Centre’s fun-packed live shows and interactive touring exhibitions ‘Powering the Future’ and ‘FitLab’, to science shows, nature trails, fossil hunting and storytelling.

Now in its 4th year, the festival will be delivered by Stirling Council alongside a growing list of local and national partners including Glasgow Science Festival, The Smith Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow Science Centre, University of Stirling, Forth Valley College, Codebase, NHS Forth Valley and Thistles Stirling.

This year’s festival will be even bigger and better thanks to the generous support of EventScotland’s National Events Programme. With a fantastic array of activities and events to inspire young and not so young minds, from ocean themed arts workshops and stargazing to testing out the plasticity of your brain with vision-shifting goggles and a series of engaging science talks, there really is something for everyone.

Budding Andy Robertsons can find out ‘What Does it Take to be an Elite Footballer’ with University of Stirling Sports Science department, pop into your local library to explore a wealth of STEM books…or hop on the Play, Talk, Read play bus for under 5s for some science-inspired fun and much, much more!

On the last day of the festival there will be an action packed free family day at the Albert Halls in partnership with the University of Stirling and Forth Valley College, who will host a range of engaging and inspiring hands-on table top activities and workshops.

And this year Stirling Science Festival is set to expand with the inclusion of more events targeted towards grown-ups – from engaging lectures and talks, including Edinburgh Neuroscience’s ‘Understanding the Brain and Mental Health’ to a spirited alchemy of cocktail making session.

Stirling Council Leader, Councillor Chris Kane, said: “From microbits, Raspberry Pi and finding out how Scots helped revolutionise disease treatment - there will be lots for inquisitive minds to see and do and we are sure families will welcome that many activities are free to take part in during the October holidays.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “EventScotland is delighted to be supporting Stirling Science Festival through our National Events Programme. This year’s festival is set to offer an ambitious variety of activity where innovation and imagination connect, and where the power of science fuels knowledge-sharing and curiosity. Stirling will provide a perfect backdrop for the festival, with a range of venues becoming spaces for exploration, fun and discovery. Having events such as Stirling Science Festival in our calendar reinforces Scotland’s place as the perfect stage for events, and provides an opportunity for us all to connect, enjoy and share memorable experiences.”

In addition to the festival 11-14 October, local pupils will have an opportunity to explore some exciting STEM activities by attending Stirling Science Festival Schools’ Fringe event at the start of the month. Primary pupils will have the chance to take part in fun-packed activities hosted by local high schools’ science departments during a special knowledge sharing day.

Youngsters from Allan’s Primary School will also be showcasing a unique natural sciences-related exhibition in the Tolbooth Gallery during October as part of Stirling Science Festival. ‘The Lost Words Blessing’ features a film, six creative art wall hangings and a song created by pupils with inspiration from the book ‘The Lost Words’ written by Robert MacFarlane and illustrated by Jackie Morris.

The project highlighted some ‘lost words’ connected to the natural world encouraging learners to be more aware of their local environment and the impacts of losing words connected with nature from our language.

The Stirling Science Festival programme can be found online at www.stirlingsciencefestival.org where you can also find a series of fun experiments to try at home.

* Photo taken at Stirling Highland Hotel Observatory (formerly Stirling High School), home of Stirling Astronomical Society. The telescope is a Newtonian reflector designed, constructed and installed by William Peck in 1889. The observatory has a rotating domed roof sheathed in copper whose green surface makes it a familiar landmark in Stirling.