Tauranga’s STEMFest is set to return this October – and has even bigger goals for 2023, according to its founder Tia Lush.

The festival has been running since 2018, nurturing our region’s next generation of problem-solvers, innovators and leaders – and this year is set to break new ground when it launches this October 1.

“Over the past six years we’ve been rapidly growing the festival with more and more offerings to inspire and engage our young people and their families,” says Tia.

“This year we are excited to be working on an even bigger festival that will showcase the opportunities and latest advancements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

Tia says the festival plays a vital role in engaging young people in critical sectors of our economy and by doing so helps address the predicted future skills shortage.

“There is a global shortage of people becoming scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians.  “This will ultimately result in a shortage of future problem solvers. 

“STEMFest aims to address this by inspiring, empowering and nurturing a new generation of young people in these fields.”

Free tickets

With more than 10,000 free tickets issued last year, STEMFest 2023 is looking forward to breaking new attendance records since releasing tickets on June 20.

“Each year we have seen an increasing number of families from Auckland, Waikato and across the North and South Island come to attend STEMFest,” says Tia.

“This year, from the interest we have already had to date, we’re excited. Ultimately our vision is to become the ‘Fieldays of STEM’ and in doing so really shine a light on vital career paths by engaging our future problem solvers in some amazing and fun hands-on experiments.”

Exciting line-up

Billed as a blockbuster interactive event for all ages, STEMFest 2023 is on Sunday, October 1. With a strong STEM knowledge base in the BOP region, the festival will showcase this with an exciting line-up of exhibitors and interactive elements, including animal dissections, rockets, robotics, smoothie bikes, fossils, building activities and much more!

Tia says STEMFest is purposefully scheduled for the second weekend of the October school holidays – allowing out of town families to attend.

“What a great way for families to combine a holiday break in our beautiful region with some engaging and highly interactive fun and learning at STEMFest. We can’t wait to gather NZ’s future problem solvers together for some hands-on experiments and a celebration of STEM.”

Free tickets for STEMFest are available at: www.stemfest.nz