North Carolina Science Festival 2023 is a statewide collection of events during the month of April, intended to ignite an interest in science in both kids and adults. Events take place at a number of venues in the Triangle, including museums, parks and libraries.
More than 400 events have been announced throughout the state so far. We will be listing a few the events in the Triangle below, but make sure to visit the North Carolina Science Festival website for a complete list.
North Carolina Science Festival
We’ve listed some of the events that have been announced, and you can see all of them online.
Follow each link for more information and to register, if required.
UNC Science Expo
Saturday, April 1st, 2023
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
250 E Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC
Free
This annual celebration of science features more than 100 hands-on activities and science demonstrations led by STEM students, researchers, and practitioners from UNC-Chapel Hill. The UNC Science Expo is your chance to get up close and personal with cutting edge science hands-on activities, demonstrations, games, and performances!
Follow Our STE(A)M: The NC Science Trail Takes Off!
Tuesday, April 4th, 2023
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Prairie Ridge Ecostation
1671 Gold Star Drive, Raleigh, NC
Free
Come celebrate the launch of the NC Science Trail with a morning of hands-on science, art, and outdoor recreation activities at Prairie Ridge Ecostation! We’ll be kicking off a month of NC Science Trail launch events with this joint press conference and science adventure event.
Join us to hike across the prairie, meander through the woods, explore insects at the pond, or romp on the nature playground. Share your artistic renditions of the amazing critters you’ve seen at Prairie Ridge with our guest artists along the trail. There will be tons of outdoor science fun, so come get your hands dirty, and learn more about how the NC Science Trail can help you Follow Our Science all across the state.
Sunset Moonrise Paddle in 14-Person Canoes
Tuesday, April 4th, 2023
6:30 to 7:45 p.m.
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area
Ebenezer Church Boat Ramp
3000 Beaver Creek Road, Apex, NC
Free, but registration is required
Climb aboard the Big Canoes to celebrate the North Carolina Science Festival! We’ll paddle the 14-passenger canoes with a park guide while the sun sets and a nearly full moon rises on Jordan Lake. Discussing the sun and the moon while paddling is a great way to celebrate the Water Planet of Earth.
Astronomy on Tap
Wednesday, April 5th, 2023
7 to 9 p.m.
Fullsteam Brewery
726 Rigsbee Avenue, Durham, NC
Free
Astronomy on Tap in the Triangle features accessible, engaging science presentations from real astronomers on topics ranging from stars and planets to black holes and the beginning of the Universe. In addition to talks, each event has trivia and plenty of time to interact with the presenters and other astronomers in the audience.
The Great Blue Jay Nature Hunt
Thursday, April 6th, through Sunday, April 9th, 2023
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day
Blue Jay Point County Park
3200 Pleasant Union Church Road, Raleigh, NC
Free
Time for an adventure! Put on your explorer cap and get ready to take part in the 5th Annual Great Blue Jay Nature Hunt. You’ll be on the hunt to answer various nature questions about things you can see, find, and interact with at the park.
Pick up your scavenger hunt list at the Education Center from 9am to 7pm daily from Thursday-Sunday, April 6-9. When you’re all done hunting, turn in your sheet and those who answer the most questions correctly will be put into a random drawing for a prize. Happy Hunting!
Discovery Day: The Artistic Scientist
Thursday, April 6th, 2023
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m.
White Deer Nature Center
2400 Aversboro Road, Garner, NC
Free
Join us at White Deer Park for a special STEAM-filled Discovery Day! This signature program features hands-on learning through experiments, crafts, and other activities set up at stations inside the Nature Center Classroom and on the Learning Deck.
Drop in at any point during the morning (10am-12pm) or afternoon (3-5pm) sessions and go at your own pace through the STEAM themed activities.
NC State Earth Fair
Wednesday, April 12th, 2023
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Stafford Commons
NC State University
North side of Talley Student Union, 2610 Cates Avenue, Raleigh
Free
Celebrate NC State Earth Month with the Wolfpack. This is a sustainability-focused fair featuring exhibits, demonstrations and ideas on how you can make the world a better place. Bring a friend and come experience the breadth of sustainability, including learning about food, water, transportation, nature, wellness and so much more.
This outdoor event is open to the public and sponsored by NC State’s University Sustainability Office.
Behind the Scenes Tour at EPA
Thursday, April 13th, 2023
9:15 to 11:30 a.m.
U.S. EPA – RTP Campus
3799 Hopson Road, Research Triangle Park, NC
Free
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering a behind-the-scenes tour of our environmentally-sustainable campus and cutting edge research facilities in Research Triangle Park, where scientists and engineers work to solve environmental challenges and protect human health and the environment.
During this guided 2-hour tour, visitors will have the opportunity to select up to four of the following tour options: Homeland Security Research; Aerosol Test Facility Wind Tunnel; Dynamometer Testing for Vehicle Emissions; Wildfire Research, Water Quality Research; Sustainable-Building Features; and a demo of free online STEM education materials based on EPA research.
The U.S. EPA in Research Triangle Park is the largest facility ever built by the Agency, with 2,000+ professionals working in state-of-the-art facilities that serve as a model for safe, healthy, and environmentally-sustainable business operations.
Participants must pre-register by emailing witter.kelly@epa.gov by April 11. Visitors must be 18+, present a government-issued photo ID, and wear comfortable closed-toed footwear. Participation is limited to 25, and the campus is handicap-accessible. Attendees are invited to join EPA staff in our Café after the tour for informal conversations.
Fly-Thru: A Drive-Thru Wildlife Experience
Thursday, April 13th, 2023
5:30 to 7 p.m.
Piedmont Wildlife Center
Leigh Farm Park, 264 Leigh Farm Road, Durham, NC
Free (donation suggested)
Join Piedmont Wildlife Center for a unique, drive-thru experience where you’ll meet native NC wildlife from the comfort of your own vehicle. Throughout your journey, you may meet snakes, owls, and hawks – oh my!
Learn about each animal’s natural history and the role they play in NC’s ecosystem. Get inspired by learning new facts and some simple conservation tips to help our backyard neighbors.
This event is entirely FREE and appropriate for all ages. Since this is a drive-thru event, participants must remain in their cars for the entire experience. A $10 or more donation is encouraged.
This event is great for those with sensory needs and health or mobility concerns as you will remain in your car for the entire event.
Wake Tech STEM Day
Friday, April 14th, 2023
10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Wake Technical Community College Southern Campus
9101 Fayetteville Road, Raleigh, NC
Free
Are you interested in STEM majors and career fields? Come join the Wake Tech faculty, students, clubs, and local companies/representatives from across STEM fields as we showcase demos, engage with attendees, raffle prizes and food, and highlight opportunities during our STEM Day Spring 2023.
This event takes place at Wake Tech’s Southern Campus in the Courtyard between Buildings A, B, C, and D. This is a great event that helps drive interest in the fields, network with professionals in these fields, participate in demos that have included a gravity well, geology fossil dig, anatomy dissections, drunk driving simulations, hoop gliders, oscillation reactions, and many others. Previous special guests have included representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NC Dept. of Agriculture and Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network (RTNN), and many others.
STEMville Science Spectacular
Saturday, April 15th, 2023
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
250 E Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC
Free
Explore STEM careers in new and exciting ways at the STEMville Science Spectacular!
Whether you’re from the beach, the mountains, or anywhere in between, STEMville is the place for you. Join us at Morehead Planetarium & Science Center, on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill, for a spectacular afternoon.
Participants will meet inspiring local scientists and UNC students, enjoy hands-on activities like bandaging wounds and building wings, and travel through the universe with a live planetarium show in the GSK Fulldome Theater.
Event t-shirt, swag items, and meal included. This event has a target focus on underserved and underrepresented groups in STEM for grades 4 – 7; however, all are welcome to attend. This program is designed for community-based organizations.
If you are a part of a community-based organization that would like to be a part of STEMville, please reach out to Nikitta Grillo at stemville@unc.edu.
Family Science Discovery Day
Saturday, April 15th, 2023
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Johnston Community College
245 College Road, Smithfield, NC
Free
Johnston Community College will host “Family Science Discovery Day” on Saturday, April 15, from 10am – 1pm at the Johnston Community College main campus in the Health Sciences Building.
On display will be engaging STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) activities and exhibits designed to stimulate scientific discovery and exploration for all ages.
Come out and enjoy interactive activities that explore major STEAM areas! This event is free to everyone and no registration is required.
Droneapalooza
Saturday, April 15th, 2023
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
NCCU
Mary Townes Science Complex
1900 Concord Street, Durham, NC
Free
Discover the limitless possibilities of drones at Dronepalooza!
You will experience the thrill of flight as you soar to new heights in the exploration of drones, including drone races, a drone obstacle course, drone missions, and more!
Rockin’ Geology Party
Saturday, April 15th, 2023
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
West Point on the Eno
5101 N Roxboro Street, Durham, NC
Free
On April 15, join the North Carolina Geological Survey and a train full of geologists for a fun and interactive party celebrating all things earth science.
- Get up close and personal with North Carolina rocks, minerals, and fossils
- Take a guided walk to learn about the geology of West Point on the Eno Park
- Create your own geode
- Play a round of rock bingo to win a cool rock or mineral prize
- Complete a scavenger hunt for a free gift
- Learn about the rocks and minerals that you use everyday with interactive displays created by geologists
- Have lunch at a food truck
Flyleaf Books presents Terry Virts: How to Astronaut
Wednesday, April 19th, 2023
5:30 to 7 p.m.
Flyleaf Books
752 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC
Free
Meet former NASA astronaut Terry Virts, who will talk about his experiences as a pilot for the Space Shuttle Endeavour and life aboard the International Space Station (ISS), which he commanded and lived on for 200 days in 2015.
While on the ISS he filmed his role and acted as a photographer for the 2016 IMAX film A Beautiful Planet. In his book How To Astronaut: An Insider’s Guide to Leaving Planet Earth, readers get to ride shotgun on a trip to space alongside Virts, a born storyteller with an eye for the perfect you-are-there details.
The book captures all the highs, lows, humor, and wonder of an experience few will ever know firsthand. Featuring stories covering survival training, space shuttle emergencies, bad bosses, the art of putting on a spacesuit, time travel, and much more!
NC Science Olympiad State Tournament
Friday, April 21st, 2023
2 to 8 p.m.
Reynolds Coliseum, NC State University
2411 Dunn Avenue, Raleigh, NC
Free
The 2023 NC Science Olympiad is a K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics competition that elevates science education to the level of support and enthusiasm typically reserved for school sports!
The competitive academic tournament consists of different hands-on, interactive, challenging and inquiry-based events that cover a wide variety of STEM fields including engineering, forensics, chemistry and much more!
Statewide Star Party: Chapel Hill Public Library
Friday, April 21st, 2023
4 to 7 p.m.
Chapel Hill Public Library
100 Library Drive, Chapel Hill, NC
Free
Enjoy lots of exciting activities, crafts, and games to inspire you to reach for the stars.
Inside the library, local author Sue Soltis will join us for a program featuring her children’s book, The Stars Just up the Street.
You can head outside to learn about telescopes with our partners at CHAOS (the Chapel Hill Astronomical and Observational Society).
There will also be an exciting presentation from a NASA Solar System Ambassador.
Statewide Star Party: Old North Durham Park
Friday, April 21st, 2023
7 to 10 p.m.
Old North Durham Park
310 W Geer Street, Durham, NC
Free
Celebrate this year’s NC Statewide Star Party with Durham Parks and Recreation! Our knowledgeable staff will provide high powered binoculars and telescopes for high quality viewing. The prpogram will feature astronomers from CHAOS, NASA, and our very own DPR! Learn more about all things space: meteors showers, planets, stars, and the moon!
Statewide Star Party: White Deer Park
Friday, April 21st, 2023
7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
White Deer Park
2400 Aversboro Road, Garner, NC
Free
Join us at White Deer Park for the 11th annual Statewide Star Party! This year’s theme is “Celebrating the Night Sky.” Enjoy self-guided activities, stargazing with Raleigh Astronomy Club, a solar system trail walk, and more!
This free event will take place in the Nature Center and Nature Center lawn with activities for everyone in the family.
Statewide Star Party: Prairie Ridge Ecostation
Friday, April 21st, 2023
8:30 to 11 p.m.
Prairie Ridge Ecostation
1671 Gold Star Drive, Raleigh, NC
Free
Join us at Prairie Ridge Ecostation to view the stars! See the sky through telescopes compliments of the Raleigh Astronomy Club, get answers to your astronomy questions, and learn how YOU can help scientists learn more about our universe.
This event is open to the public at no charge, so stop by for some starry fun. Don’t forget your flashlight — it’s going to be dark!
Triangle SciTech Expo
Saturday, April 22nd, 2023
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
NC Museum of Natural Sciences
11 W Jones Street, Raleigh, NC
Free
Triangle SciTech Expo is a unique event that assembles scientists and technical professionals from universities, organizations and industry to engage visitors of all ages in the excitement of science and technology. We provide leaders in SciTech fields a prominent opportunity to showcase innovations and research while engaging visitors in interactive programs that actively spark their interest in STEM fields.
Experts, researchers, and specialists developing new technologies will engage with participants; programs are designed for all ages and stages of learning, and families are encouraged to attend.
Family Sun Printing Workshop
Saturday, April 22nd, 2023
1 to 3 p.m.
The ArtsCenter
400 Roberson Street, Carrboro, NC
Free
Drop in on Earth Day to make a beautiful monochromatic print using the sun! Use leaves, flowers, or cut out shapes to create a silhouette pattern on your take-home print. Fun for the whole family!
Carrboro Earth Day
Saturday, April 22nd, 2023
3:30 to 6 p.m.
Carrboro Town Commons
301 W Main Street, Carrboro, NC
Free
With the Chapel Hill Service League, the Town of Carrboro is partnering on an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 22 from 3:30 to 6pm at Carrboro Town Commons, 301 W. Main St.
Carrboro’s Earth Day event will feature a variety of information and education tables to learn more about climate and environmental topics in our community and Community Climate Action initiatives such as Carrboro’s Green Neighborhood initiative, Solarize Carrboro, weatherization, sustainability, food footprint, composting, recycling and EV vehicles.
There will be activities for children including a parade (animal and plant costumes welcome), planet-friendly vegan and vegetarian food for purchase, and climate and environmental Earth Day Free Book giveaways. Celebrate the Earth with Carrboro!
Statewide Star Party: Three Bears Nature Preserve
Saturday, April 22nd, 2023
5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Three Bears Nature Preserve
711 Beaver Dam Road, Creedmoor, NC
Free
Come explore the cosmos with us at TLC’s Three Bears Nature Preserve in Creedmoor! Take a hike through our very own solar system scaled both to the palm of your hand and on a quarter mile trail. When you are done dodging asteroids and learning about each of the planets, take a pit stop at each of our activity tables to learn all about the stars, planets, and some of the telescopes that we will be using to view the night sky. When dark begins to fall, we will play some nighttime games and end the night with a few guided demonstrations from Raleigh Astronomy Club to share constellation stories and an opportunity to look through real telescopes!
This is a free event but pre-registration is required.
Double-Check Before You Head Out!
We make every effort to make sure that everything on Triangle on the Cheap is 100% accurate.
However, sometimes things change without notice, and it's also possible that we can make a mistake.
Please verify all deals and events with the venue or organizer before you go.
More Kids’ Events in the Triangle
Please check out our big list of free and cheap kids’ events in the Triangle or look at a quick list here:
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