Somerscience Festival

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Somerscience Festival

The Somerscience Festival brings STEM and innovation to life across Somerset with hands-on activities, inspiring talks and real-world careers exhibitors.

Join the FREE 2026 Festival at Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, 4th May. Activities will include an interactive science fair, talks, debates, shows and performances, exhibitions, displays, workshops, robotics and much much more. There is something for everyone! And it's FREE! You can find us at Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallett on the 4th May 2026

10/07/2026

🌱 From an idea to a community celebration – the journey to our 5th Somerscience Festival begins.

Five years ago, the vision for Somerscience Festival began with a simple but ambitious idea: to bring Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to communities across Somerset in a way that was engaging, accessible and inspiring.

Thanks to the passion and determination of Colleen Bower and the dedication of our board members, that vision became a reality.

Since then, Somerscience Festival has grown year on year. What started as an idea has developed into a celebration of STEM that brings together families, young people, educators, businesses, universities, charities, researchers and volunteers.

Over the past four festivals, visitors have explored hands-on activities, met inspiring STEM professionals, discovered new technologies, taken part in challenges, and experienced the creativity and curiosity that makes STEM so exciting.

As the festival has evolved, so has the Somerscience Trust. We now have a diverse Board of Trustees bringing together experience from education, industry, science, engineering and community engagement, helping us shape the next stage of our journey.

Behind the scenes, we are also taking time to reflect on our impact. We are analysing feedback, attendance figures and insights from visitors, exhibitors, volunteers and partners, and will soon be sharing our evaluation report.

Now our focus turns to our 5th Somerscience Festival in 2027.

We’re excited to build on everything that has made the festival special so far, creating more opportunities to explore, discover, ask questions and connect with the people and organisations shaping the future of STEM.

We’d love to hear from everyone who has been part of the Somerscience journey so far:
💡 What did you enjoy most about previous festivals?
🔬 Which activity, exhibit or STEM experience inspired you?
🚀 What would you love to see at our 5th festival?

Your ideas and experiences will help us make Somerscience Festival 2027 our most exciting chapter yet.

🌐 Get in touch at: https://somerscience.org

Alan Champneys Chris Budd OBE Darren Wilson Rebecca Hale (AMA) Rachel Toal Kate Bartels AISEP

04/07/2026

👉 We need you at Somerscience Festival

The Somerscience Festival exists to connect people with STEM in a way that is practical, engaging and accessible, but we can’t do that without the organisations who bring it to life.

We’re looking for exhibitors from across Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to join us and help shape the experience for hundreds of families, young people and educators at the 5th Somerscience Festival in 2027.

👉 If you can demonstrate what you do with a smile on your face
👉 If you can run hands-on activities or deliver talks to people of all ages
👉 If you can show how STEM works in the real world to inspire others

We need you there.

This is your chance to put your work, research or innovations in front of an engaged audience, support STEM education, and help young people see what’s possible for their future.

We are building an experience that inspires curiosity and opens doors for the communities of the South West. Each year better than the last.

📅 Somerscience Festival - Bank Holiday Monday 3rd May
🌐 Find out more and register: https://somerscience.org/exhibitors

If you’re involved in STEM, we want to hear from you.

01/07/2026

♿👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Creating a Festival for Everyone

One of the Somerscience Trust's key priorities when planning this year's Somerscience Festival was to ensure the event was as welcoming and accessible as possible for everyone.

Our larger venue gave us the opportunity to create wide aisles and open spaces, making it easier for wheelchair users, those with mobility aids, pushchairs, and families to move comfortably around the exhibition. It also meant visitors had more time and space to stop, chat with exhibitors, and enjoy the hands-on activities without feeling rushed.

We believe that science should be accessible to everyone. Whether you were taking your first steps into STEM or sharing your expertise, we wanted every visitor to feel welcome, included, and able to enjoy everything the festival had to offer.

We're grateful for the positive feedback we've received about the layout and accessibility of this year's event, and we'll continue to look for ways to make Somerscience Festival even more inclusive in the future.

24/06/2026

🚀 Get Involved in Somerscience Festival 2027! 🔬

Planning is already underway for the next Somerscience Festival, and we're inviting organisations, businesses, community groups, educators, researchers, and STEM professionals to be part of it.

The festival will take place on the first bank holiday in May 2027, bringing together people of all ages to discover the exciting world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics through hands-on activities, demonstrations, exhibits and interactive experiences.

If your organisation works in STEM, supports STEM education, or has a passion for inspiring the next generation, we'd love to hear from you. Whether you're an established exhibitor or considering taking part for the first time, there are opportunities to get involved and share your expertise with our community.

Find out more about the festival and how to participate at:
🌐 https://somerscience.org/exhibitors

Together, we can continue to inspire curiosity, raise aspirations, and showcase the incredible STEM opportunities available across Somerset and beyond.

Please share this post with colleagues, organisations, and anyone who may be interested in taking part.

19/06/2026

Somerscience Festival Evaluation Report – Coming Soon

With another successful Somerscience Festival now complete, we are currently reviewing attendance figures, feedback, and impact data from across the event.

We are analysing responses from visitors, exhibitors, volunteers, and partners to help us understand what worked well, where we can improve, and the overall impact of the festival on STEM engagement in the region.

We will be publishing a full evaluation report shortly, including key statistics, outcomes, and insights from this year’s event.

You can find the report and updates here: https://somerscience.org/our-governance/

Thank you to everyone who took the time to share feedback and support the festival. It plays a vital role in helping us shape future events.

17/06/2026

👏 A Special Thank You to the Early Careers Team at Thales 👏

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the incredible Early Careers team from Thales for their outstanding support throughout the Somerscience Festival.

From planning and preparation through to delivery on the day, the team worked tirelessly behind the scenes and with visitors to help ensure the festival ran smoothly and successfully. Their professionalism, enthusiasm, and commitment to inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators made a real difference.

The hands-on activities, conversations, and encouragement they provided helped create memorable experiences for so many attendees.

Thank you for your dedication, energy, and partnership. We are incredibly grateful for your support and look forward to working together again in the future.

16/06/2026

🌟 What a fantastic Somerscience Festival 2026! 🌟
Now that we've had a well-earned break and had time to absorb the impact of this year's festival, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what an incredible event it was.

Over the course of the festival, we welcomed hundreds of visitors who explored Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths through a wide range of engaging hands-on activities, demonstrations and experiences.

This year, our move to a larger venue proved to be a huge success. The additional space allowed visitors to spend more time exploring the exhibition area, engaging with exhibitors, taking part in activities, and having meaningful conversations at the various stands. The feedback we've received suggests that the improved layout created a more relaxed and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

It was inspiring to see so many curious minds asking questions, solving problems, trying new things and discovering potential future careers. The enthusiasm and energy from attendees, exhibitors, volunteers and partners made this year's festival truly special.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, supported, volunteered and contributed to making the Somerscience Festival such a success. Together, we've helped spark curiosity, inspire learning and celebrate STEM across our community.

We're immensely proud of what was achieved and are already looking forward to what's next.

03/05/2026

Somerscience Festival 2026 is tomorrow!

We hope to see you all there!🎉🌟🥳

30/04/2026

🚀✨ Get ready to explore, experiment, and be inspired at the Somerscience STEM Festival!

From hands-on activities to mind-blowing discoveries, there’s something for curious minds of all ages 🧪🔬

Check out the full programme and plan your visit here 👇

https://somerscience.org/somerscience-festival-2026/

Address

Bath And West Showground
Shepton Mallet
BA46QN

Telephone

+447375890751

Website

http://www.somerscience.org/

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