Science Festivals

NORTHERN ONTARIO SCIENCE FESTIVALS

Kenora Mini SciFest

The Kenora Mini SciFest will take place September 30—October 2!

The Kenora Science Festival partner team is excited to bring an all-new Mini SciFest experience to Kenora this Fall! Similar to what a full Science Festival does, the Mini SciFest Kenora experience brings fun, exciting, and engaging events to celebrate science, technology, and innovation. Planning of this event is ongoing, check back at a later date for more details.

This event will be in English only.

Here's what Science North is doing during the COVID-19 pandemic:

MORE INFO

Mini SciFest Events:

SCIENCE AT THE MARKET

The Matiowski Farmers’ Market is getting an extra dose of science! Join Science North Bluecoats for exciting demonstrations as you shop during the Wednesday Farmer’s Market.

Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2020
Location: Whitecap Pavillion, Bernier Dr., Kenora, ON, P9N 1S4
Time: 8:30am–2:00pm

BRAIN TAP

What’s better than beer and science? Join us at Lake of the Woods Brewery Taproom for an evening of entertaining science speakers, science experiments, and a touch of trivia!

Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2020
Location: Lake of the Woods Brewing Company Taproom, 350 2nd St. S, Kenora, ON, P9N 1G5
Time: 7:00pm–9:00pm

BLUECOAT TALKS

Fragile Strength: Intersections in Geography, Memory, and Human Impact

Science North and The Muse are proud to present Fragile Strength: Intersections in Geography, Memory and Human Impact, a Bluecoat Talk with artist Cheryl Wilson-Smith.

Cheryl Wilson-Smith’s art explores the passage of time and her sense of place in the vast world around us. Landscapes—those remembered across generations, those affecting us and those we impact—resonate deeply with the artist as she works with glass and the elements to depict the fragile strength of the planet. Her sculptures serve as receptacles for memory and time while exploring the tensions presented as we try to walk responsibly in this world and contemplate the extent to which we all alter the landscape, for better and worse.

21 Pillows, the latest installation from glass artist Cheryl Wilson-Smith, explores human impact – deliberate and unintended – by inviting the audience to participate in the large-scale exhibition. In this talk, Cheryl Wilson-Smith will explore the extent to which genetic memory, environmental impact and altered landscapes give rise to the tensions, chemical and physical processes, and accidental design that ultimately inform her contemplative works in glass. The event will take place in the Douglas Family Arts Centre at The Muse and will be moderated by Bluecoat Ryan Land, Director of Education and Northern Programs for Science North.

Date: Thursday, October 1, 2020
Location: Douglas Family Art Centre, 224 Main St. S, Kenora, ON, P9N 3X5
Time: 12:00pm–1:00pm
Admission: $5 in advance. Tickets available to purchase in person at the Douglas Family Art Centre or by calling (807) 467-2201. Walk-ins will be accommodated as space allows.

FOSSIL FIND

Tyndall stone covers the interior and exterior of the Douglas Family Art Centre. We are looking for the best fossil hunters to help us on our Fossil Find!

450 million years ago during the Ordovician Period, a shallow, tropical sea covered part of central North America.  Tyndall stone is the name of this fossil-filled stone that settled at the bottom. It is a package of rock containing mainly limestone and dolostone.

Fossil Find participants will learn about fossils from Science North Bluecoats and will then set out on the hunt to identify and draw different types of fossils throughout the building. All participants will receive a free take-home science activity and be entered into a draw for a Potato Chip Science Kit from The Muse!

Date: Thursday, October 1, 2020
Location: Douglas Family Art Centre, 224 Main St. S, Kenora, ON, P9N 3X5
Time: 3:30pm–5:00pm
Admission: By donation

SCIENCE TRIVIA NIGHT WITH YPN KENORA

Join the Young Professionals Network at Bob’s Burger Bar and show off your science smarts with three rounds of sensational science related trivia. And don’t worry, you don’t have to be Einstein to enjoy this event!

Date: Thursday, October 1, 2020
Location: Bob's Burger Bar, 152 Main St. S, Kenora, ON, P9N 1S9
Time: 7:00pm–9:00pm

For more information, visit our Facebook event page.

SCIENCE AT THE DISCOVERY CENTRE

Drop by the Lake of the Woods Discovery Centre and join us for some special science activities! 

Date: Friday, October 2, 2020
Location: Lake of the Woods Discovery Centre, 931 Lakeview Dr., Kenora, ON, P9N 3P8
Time: 3:00pm–6:00pm

A Collaborative Venture Under the Direction Of:

In Partnership With:

  

  

---

Thunder Bay Science Festival

Thank you for joining us for the eighth annual Thunder Bay Science Festival!

Congratulations to all of our partners on a successful week of science, innovation, and fun! To stay in touch during the year, please follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/sciencenorth-thunderbay and join us in February 2021 for the ninth Thunder Bay Science Festival!

2020 Science Festival Events:

SNOWDAY

Join Science North for Snowday at Prince Arthur’s Landing (at Marina Park) where we’ll have outdoor winter science on the go!

Date: Monday, February 17, 2020
Location: Marina Park (Sleeping Giant Pkwy)
Time: 12pm–5pm
Cost: FREE

STEM CHALLENGE 2020

Science North is excited to offer an action-packed experience for secondary schools that will provide an opportunity for teams of students from grades 9 to 12 to experience science challenges competing against the clock. 

STEM Challenge is a series of problem-solving activities that provide fun hands-on learning and require students to apply their problem-solving skills and knowledge of science in creative ways. STEM Challenge aims to inspire interest and foster inquisition in science, engineering and technology.

Date:

• Tuesday, February 18 (French students)
• Wednesday, February 19 (English students)

Registration is by invitation to secondary schools.

For more information contact: roy [at] sciencenorth.ca

NERD NITE

A regular event where nerds and those who love them get together to drink beer and give 20-ish-minute presentations to other nerds on subjects that are ostensibly of great interest to nerds. Past topics include the chemistry of coffee, meat-eating plants, how drug use affects the musical brain, and bike-nomics. It's like the Discovery Channel, with beer. Plus Trivia!

Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Location: Sleeping Giant Brewery (712 Macdonell St.)
Time: 7pm–9pm
Cost: FREE

NEW EVENT! #WELOVESUPERIOR SERIES

Launched in 2018, the #WeLoveSuperior series is a chance for Canadians to learn about Lake Superior’s history, culture, ecology and more from local experts and knowledge holders.

At this installment of the #WeLoveSuperior Series, we'll have Brian Ratcliff discussing his work with Project Peregrine where he monitored the recovery of peregrine falcons nesting in Northern Ontario and banded young peregrines at cliff nest sites. Brian is a wildlife biologist with over 25 years of experience working for both federal and provincial agencies focusing on threatened and endangered species of birds. As well, Parks Canada's own Daniel Weller will be informing us on invasive phragmites (European Common Reed) and how this plant is causing damage in Ontario's waterways.

Date: Thursday, February 20, 2020
Location: The Study Coffeehouse, Lakehead University
Time: 7pm–8:30pm
Cost: FREE

In partnership with:

NEW EVENT! CLIMATE CONNECTIONS

New this year is a climate connections event that will increase students' understanding of climate change science, empower young people to mobilize and take personal action on climate change, and inspire them to become leaders and innovators in climate action in the future. Students will engage with climate change science and be guided through interactive science demonstrations led by Science North Bluecoats. Get ready to be inspired and take action!

Panellists: Sam Hunter — Peawanuck First Nation

Date: Friday, February 21, 2020
Location: To be determined
Time: To be determined

For elementary and secondary schools.
Registration required.

For more information contact: roy [at] sciencenorth.ca

SCIENCE CARNIVAL

This one-day community event provides families with the opportunity to participate in engaging, and fun science and technology activities, visit with well over 20 exhibitors showcasing presentations, labs and attractions, all using local and global science concepts and engineering principles. Also enjoy live science shows and entertainment for a festive event! Don’t forget to stop by the Entomica booth to handle live insects like you’ve never seen before!

Date: Saturday, February 22, 2020
Location: Victoriaville Mall (125 Syndicate Ave S)
Time: 1pm–5pm
Cost: FREE

A Collaborative Venture Under the Direction Of:

In Partnership With:

  

Sponsors:

  

  

A Proud Member Of:

For any questions regarding the festival, if you are interested in sponsoring the festival, or would like to be considered as an exhibitor, you may contact us at: scifest [at] sciencenorth.ca

---

sault ste. marie science festival

​

The Sault Ste. Marie Science Festival team looks forward to planning another week of science, innovation, and fun. To stay in touch during the year, please follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/SSMSciFest.

---

A Collaborative Venture Under the Direction Of:

In Partnership With:

  

  

  

---

NORTH BAY SCIENCE FESTIVAL

​

Thank you for joining us for the third annual North Bay Science Festival. Congratulations to all of our partners on a successful week of science, innovation, and fun! To stay in touch during the year, please follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/NBSciFest and join us in Fall 2020 for the fourth annual North Bay Science Festival!

2019 Science Festival Events:

SCIENCE INNOVATION AND CODING OUTREACH PROGRAMS

Students will start the day with Coding Unplugged, a great introduction to computational thinking and problem-solving. Students will then learn the basics of coding to control robots and design an innovative solution to a real-world challenge. Students will need to innovate, think critically, and work collaboratively to solve the open-ended problem.  Using technology as a tool, students will be engaged in a full day of math using robots. 

Date: October 21 – 25, 2019

For elementary schools. 
Registration required.

For more information contact: scifest [at] sciencenorth.ca

IGNITE — SCIFEST EDITION

Come and Celebrate the geek in all of us! 

Ignite presenters will share their passion for Innovation and applied Sciences to inform, educate and inspire others in Innovation and Science in action. 

Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Time: 7pm – 9pm
Location: St. Joseph-Scollard Hall, 675 O'Brien St, North Bay, ON, P1B 9R3
Tickets: $5 per person

Hosted by Ignite North Bay

SCIENCE OLYMPICS

Science North is excited to offer an action-packed experience for secondary schools that will provide an opportunity for teams of students from grades 9 to 12 to experience science challenges competing against the clock.

Science Olympics is a series of problem solving activities that provide fun hands-on learning and require students to apply their problem solving skills and knowledge of science in creative ways. Science Olympics aims to inspire interest and foster inquisition in science, engineering and technology.

Date: TBC

For secondary schools. 
Registration required.

For more information contact: scifest [at] sciencenorth.ca

SCIENCE CARNIVAL

This one day community event provides families with the opportunity to participate in engaging, and fun science, innovation and technology activities.  Visit with well over 20 exhibitors showcasing presentations, labs and attractions, all using local and global science concepts and engineering principals. Also enjoy spectacular live science shows and entertainment. New this year – try your hand at rock climbing at the rock climbing wall in the Fitness and wellness centre!

Date: Saturday, October 26, 2019
Time: 11am – 4pm
Location: 22 Wing Fitness and Wellness Facility / CFB North Bay
Admission: Pay What You Can

CLIMATE ACTION PANEL

Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Time: 10am & 12:30pm
Location: St. Joseph-Scollard Hall in the Auditorium

New this year is a climate action panel event that will increase students' understanding of climate change science, empower young people to mobilize and take personal action on climate change, and inspire them to become leaders and innovators in climate action in the future. Students will engage with climate change science and be guided through interactive science demonstrations led by Science North Bluecoats. Get ready to be inspired and take action! 

Panellists:

Sam Hunter — Peawanuck First Nation
Sara Lehman — climate change researcher

---

On behalf of the Province of Ontario, I extend my warmest welcome to all those taking part in the third annual North Bay Science Festival October 21 – 26, 2019. This fun-filled week is truly a festival for all ages, and includes a celebration of science, innovation and technology activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Let me also take this opportunity to thank all those who have collaborated in this venture: Science North, Ignite North Bay, First Robotics League – FIRST Team 1305, Nipissing University, NBDCC, North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority, MNRF, and Safesight Exploration Inc. What a wonderful way to highlight, promote and celebrate science!

Best wishes for a fantastic science festival!

Sincerely,

Vic Fedeli
MPP Nipissing

---

Welcome to North Bay! 

On behalf of City Council and the citizens of North Bay, I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to all those attending the 3rd Annual North Bay Science Festival running October 21 – 26, 2019.
 
North Bay is very proud to host this Annual Festival, and I know you will find our hospitality enthusiastic and friendly and the Festival second to none.

We recognize the hard work that is involved in organizing this event and congratulate The North Bay Science Festival Organizing Committee. The North Bay Science Festival is a collaborative venture under the direction of Science North in partnership with Ignite North Bay, First Robotics League–FIRST Team 1305, Nipissing University, North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce, North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and Safesight Exploration Inc. 

For those of you from out of town, we hope that you will take some time to enjoy our City’s sights and hospitality. Here in the City of North Bay, we feel very fortunate to have the best of culture, entertainment, shopping, dining and accommodation that make this City — a great City! We hope that your stay with us will be an enjoyable and memorable one.

Best wishes.

Sincerely,

Al McDonald
Mayor 
City of North Bay

---

A Collaborative Venture Under the Direction Of:

In Partnership With:

  

    

Sponsors:

    

 

 

A Proud Member Of:

For any questions regarding the festival, if you are interested in sponsoring the festival, or would like to be considered as an exhibitor, you may contact us at: scifest [at] sciencenorth.ca