NI Science Festival has launched its 2025 programme, a 12-day schedule of events that will bring science to life with hundreds of events taking place across Northern Ireland from 12 February 12 until 23 February next year.
Established in 2014, NI Science Festival has grown to become the largest celebration of its kind on the island of Ireland and one of the leading science festivals in Europe.
For its 11th edition, the festival will present more than 300 events with focus on Northern Ireland’s rich and diverse natural environment, our engineering and manufacturing heritage, sustainability, technology, the mind and body, and much more.
NI Science Festival director Sarah Jones said: “The NI Science Festival is a celebration of science, creativity, and the world around us, designed to be engaging and enjoyable for everyone. Over 12 days, the festival will pop up in venues across Northern Ireland, showcasing the incredible work of local researchers and scientists alongside some well-known guest speakers. This year’s programme is packed with exciting events for all ages, offering something for everyone. It’s an opportunity to embrace the joy of discovery, explore the power of ideas, and celebrate the possibilities science brings to our everyday lives.”
Among this year’s highlights, at Whitla Hall, naturalist, explorer and documentary filmmaker Steve Backshall presents Bringing Marine Dreams To Life, a love letter to the most exciting environment on our planet, the ocean, meanwhile space expert Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock will deliver an interstellar talk on the groundbreaking James Webb Space Telescope and the science reshaping our understanding of the universe.
In Stuff! How is it Made? BAFTA-winning television presenter and children's author Maddie Moate brings audiences incredible facts and fascinating stories about the ingenious ways we can make, use, and reuse the stuff around us, and Dr Dan and Dr Raph, presenters of CBBC’s Operation Ouch!, bring the exhilarating experience of space adventure, space science and space medicine to Belfast and Derry with their show, How To Survive in Space.
Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Andrew McCormick, said: “It’s fantastic that the NI Science Festival is taking place in Belfast and venues across Northern Ireland, in February, with so many great events to look forward to. In its 11th year, the festival continues to educate and inspire all ages about science. Belfast is a city of innovation and we have a rich heritage of scientists, engineers and inventors here – the science festival could lead to our next generation.”
Economy Minister Conor Murphy MLA said: “I am delighted that my department is continuing its longstanding support of the festival. Skills development is at the heart of my economic plans – with STEM skills in particular becoming ever more vital in our fast-changing society – and every year the festival engages tens of thousands of people across the north, stimulating interest in learning at all ages and raising awareness of the vast world of STEM.”
Among the festival’s other highlights, hear about all things nature in conversation with Sir Tim Smit KBE, co-founder of the Eden Project, which saw the restoration of Cornwall’s Lost Gardens of Heligan, and join rewilding pioneer Eoghan Daltun, author of The Magic of an Irish Atlantic Rainforest, in An Droichead, Belfast, or The Playhouse, Derry, as he shares photographs and insights from his journey through Ireland’s temperate rainforests.
Also taking place in Belfast and the north west is Robo Bingo. Billed as an interactive show for introverts by IT consultants Lloyd and Pete, one of the nation’s favourite pastimes and technology collide for an unexpected evening of comedy, bingo and robots.
In Grace’s Transport Timeline, turn back time with CBeebies presenter Grace Webb to examine the historic machines housed in the Ulster Transport Museum and discover how vintage vehicles and engineering has shaped modern technology.
For Valentine’s Day, the festival and National Museums NI will explore the chemistry of attraction with an evening of romance, relationships and revelations in the Late Late Love Lab at the Ulster Museum. Or, enjoy a tranquil paddle around Enniskillen guided by Blue Green Yonder, exploring Lough Erne’s natural wonders.
READ MORE: New coalition seeks to make Northern Ireland a Top three UK hub for diverse and scalable enterprises
The festival’s regional roadshow will touch down in Bangor, Newcastle, Strabane and Limavady, with a series of events, including Chemistry & the Celts, an immersive exploration into the world of the Irish Celts with Scientific Sue. This engaging show, supported by Almac, brings ancient traditions to life, blending the wonders of chemistry with the rich tapestry of Celtic history.
For more information and to view the full programme, visit nisciencefestival.com.
Read Sync NI's free online Big Data Belfast autumn magazine here.
