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Flagstaff Festival of Science — Sneak a Peek at Upcoming Events!

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Sneak a Peek at Our Programming for the 2023 Flagstaff Festival of Science!

Many of our board members are hard at work planning more than 100 free events for the upcoming Festival, which will take place Sept. 22-Oct. 1. Reaching out across the community, they’ve invited local experts to share discoveries and insights about topics spanning the sciences, technology, and the arts. In addition to perennial favorites like Snook’s Science in the Park, Walk on Mars, open houses, guided hikes, tours, lectures, classroom talks, and hands-on workshops, events currently in the planning stages will enable participants to:
  • Learn about dinosaur fossils found across the Navajo Nation since the 1930s.
  • Find out the latest discoveries on Mars revealed by the Perseverance and Curiosity Rovers.
  • Interact with scientists from TGen North during a walk at Buffalo Park as they introduce local microbe and vector species such as ticks, mosquitoes, and the fungus that causes Valley Fever.
  • Visit Flagstaff Medical Center to tour Guardian Air helicopters and try out Northern Arizona Healthcare’s state-of-the-art da Vinci surgery robot.
  • Discover the magnificent mammals of the Ice Age—and hear the story of the Huntington Mammoth, an ancient resident of the Colorado Plateau.

To launch the 10-day adventure, the W. L. Gore & Associates Keynote presentation will bring featured keynote speaker Beth Shapiro, PhD, a pioneer in the high-profile field of ancient DNA, to share her expertise on the science of de-extinction.The full program will be announced in late August on our app, online, and in print publications. Tickets to the keynote event will be available at that time on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information about the Festival of Science, visit scifest.org.
 

Download the Festival App!

Want to see everything going on during the Festival in a handy digital format? There’s an app for that! You can download our app from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store–or scan the QR code here. Events will be available via the app once all Festival planning and programming is complete.
 

More Girls Who Grew Up to Become… Scientists

Our Festival Insights blog is featuring one chapter each month from a new book, Girls Just Like You Who Grew Up to Become… Scientists. Written by local author and board member Kerry Bennett, each chapter profiles a Flagstaff scientist. Chapter 5: Meet disease geneticist Bridget Barker was released in May, introducing this NAU scientist and her groundbreaking research into Valley Fever.

Learn More about Other Local Experts

We publish a variety of profiles on our Festival Insights blog featuring prominent scientists in our community as well as other professionals doing interesting and important work. Ambassador Chloe Donaldson recently wrote a feature about data scientist Chad McGann. Other contributors profiled experts including astronomer Lisa Prato and paleoclimatologist Nick McKay.

Thank You to Our A/V Campaign Donors!

A huge thank you for your donations to our campaign to raise $2,500 to support the purchase of audio/video equipment and services. Because of your generosity, we raised $3,000! As we await an update regarding matching funds, the Festival plans to invest in digital programs, platforms, and professional services to develop a more robust video presence for the 2023 Festival. Your contribution is making this dream possible, and your support sustains our growth in coming years!

Join Us At the 4th of July Parade!

The Flagstaff Festival of Science board will be appearing in the 2023 4th of July Parade! Come downtown to see us in our purple Festival shirts as we hand out stickers and more!