Philadelphia Science Festival, Fun With Science

Courtesy of Philadelphia Science Festival

‘Bringing Science and Fun Together!’

Get your nerd on at the Philadelphia Science Festival, a nine day festival that occurs annually in Philadelphia each April. This year’s Science Festival will take place from April 26 to May 4, 2019.

In it’s 9th year, the Philadelphia Science Festival is presented by The Dow Chemical Company and organized by the awesome folks at The Franklin Institute.

The festival aims to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, and shows how much fun it can be to explore the world of science. There will be a huge variety of events that incorporate everything from family-friendly educational outings to after-dark events that tells us that science lessons aren’t just for kids.

The festival concludes on Saturday, May 4 from 10 am t0 4 pm with the massive, annual Science Carnival on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 222 North 20th Street.

Our 2019 Top Pick of Events

This year’s Festival has more than 30 events across the Philadelphia region and in South Jersey including events for families, adult programs, educator workshops and many more activities for all ages.

City Wide Star Party

Friday, April 26, 7:30 pm – 10 pm ~ FREE – Held at 20+ locations throughout Philadelphia! Look towards the sky with dozens of telescopes and local astronomers. Gaze at the stars, contemplate the universe, and discuss the cosmos. More Info, CLICK HERE

Science in the Park ~ Hunting Park & Clark Park

Saturday, April 27 ~ 12 pm – 4 pm ( both locations) ~ FREE – Hunting Park (Directions) & Clark Park ~ Bring the family to your local park for a day of fun, hands-on activities exploring the extraordinary power of science, technology, engineering, and math! Teach your kids that you don’t have to go far to have fun with science, and discover its joys and wonders together during this family fun day. All Science in the Park events are FREE! More info, CLICK HERE

FISHTOWN SCIENCE CRAWL

Sunday, April 28, 2 pm – 5 pm – FREE ($5 wristband for food & drinks) – Held at various locations in Fishtown ~ Participants are: The Barbary, Barcade, Fette Sau, Garage, Front Street Cafe, Garage Fishtown, Kensington Quarters & La Colombe. ~ (21 + for some) Toast science and innovation and take bar hopping to a whole new level during the Fishtown Science Crawl! Enjoy great drink specials at awesome Fishtown venues, explosive science demonstrations, awe-inspiring activities and engage in hands-on science activities with some of your favorite museums and science organizations!. For more info, CLICK HERE

Murder at the Mütter: Workplace Woes

Sunday, April 28 ~ 2 pm – 6 pm ~ Mütter Museum at 19th S 22nd St ~ (Directions) Uncover clues, analyze evidence, and crack codes alongside real forensics experts and find out if you have what it takes to be a crime scene investigator. Ticketed Event. Sold Out (no walk-ins) More info, CLICK HERE.

Science On Tap Un-tapped: My Love Affair with Science

Monday, April 29, 6 pm -8 pm ~ FREE (21 +) National Mechanics ~ (Directions) Explore debunked theories that were once accepted as reality in the scientific world. Six speakers will dive into beliefs that clouded scientific reasoning throughout history. For more info, CLICK HERE

Science After School

Tuesday, April 30 & May 1, 3:30 pm -5:30 pm ~ Held at different library locations ~ Spark your student’s passion for STEM learning when local engineers, scientists, and other experts visit your neighborhood library to lead FREE after-school programs. Take part in these exciting experiments, animal encounters, and kid- (and scientist-) approved hands-on activities, right in your neighborhood library! ~ More info, CLICK HERE

Science in the National Park

Thursday, May 2, 10 am – 2 pm ~ FREE – Held at Independence National Historical Park at 599 Market Street ~ Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the connection between history and science at Independence National Historical Park at this free event. Activities are geared to a fourth and fifth-grade audience. More info, CLICK HERE

Electric Jellyfish at the Philly Tech Week Kick-Off Festival

Friday, May 3, 6 pm – 8 pm ~ Held at the Science History Institute at 315 Chestnut St. (Waiting for details) – More info, CLICK HERE

SCIENCE CARNIVAL ON THE BEN FRANKLIN PARKWAY

Saturday, May 4, 10 am – 4 pm ~ FREE event – The Philadelphia Science Festival’s signature event. GET NERDY on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 222 North 20th Street with your friends, family and science lovers from all over the region. You’ve never experienced an outdoor carnival like this one! The Carnival features more than 175 exhibitors offering non-stop, family-friendly experiments, interactive activities, dynamic demonstrations, geeky games, food trucks and a packed line-up of live entertainment! For more info, CLICK HERE

Philadelphia Science Festival 2019 Program Guide

For the complete day-to-day activities, click here. Festival At-A-Glance, click here.