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February 10, 2025

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Tennessee STEAM Festival Expands this October

Interested in robotics? Environmental conservation? Creative arts? Aviation? This festival provides a chance to dive into STEAM.

The Tennessee STEAM Festival returns this fall for its 8th annual celebration, taking place October 11 through October 27, 2024.

Founded by the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, this festival of science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) has grown into a statewide event, featuring 80 host venues across East, Middle and West Tennessee. From hands-on workshops to interactive exhibits, the festival offers both paid and free events for participants of all ages to engage with STEAM-based learning and entertainment.

“This year’s Tennessee STEAM Festival is bigger and better than ever,” said Tara MacDougall, President and CEO of the Discovery Center. “We’ve expanded to include an extra week of programming, and with more than 300 events across the state, there’s truly something for everyone.”

The festival will officially kick off with STEAM-A-Palooza at the Discovery Center on Saturday, October 12th, from 12 to 4 p.m. Held at 502 SE Broad St., Murfreesboro, TN, this free, family-friendly event offers a variety of interactive booths where attendees of all ages can explore hands-on activities, live demonstrations, and performances on topics like physics, composting, cosmetics, and meteorology.

Other event highlights include Nashville PBS’ Leonardo Youth Maker Mixer, a teen design challenge at the Frist Art Museum, which will also offer an exclusive preview of Ken Burns’ new film, Leonardo da Vinci. At the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport, the Airport STEAM Festival invites attendees to enjoy a day of free, hands-on aircraft experiences.

In East Tennessee, Oak Ridge High School will partner with the American Museum of Science and Energy to host STEAM Day, exploring the connection between science and energy, while the Appalachian Association for Children’s Early Education will present Early Math + Appalachia, a conference offering educators new insights into STEAM curriculum. West Tennessee’s Discovery Park of America will celebrate STEAM Week with rotating daily themes like “Wind-Powered Wednesday” and “Fossil Friday.”

“We’re incredibly grateful to our sponsors and partners for their support in making this year’s festival possible,” said MacDougall. “Their commitment allows us to bring STEAM-based learning experiences to communities across Tennessee, showcasing how science and creativity come together to shape our world.”

For more information about the festival, including the full event schedule, visit tnsteam.org or check out updates from the Discovery Center at explorethedc.org.

 

 

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About the Author

Michael Aldrich

Michael Aldrich is Nashville Parent's Managing Editor and a Middle Tennessee arts writer. He and his wife, Alison, are the proud parents of 4-year-old Ezra and baby Norah.