Offaly will be a hive of activity for this year's Midlands Science Festival

After two years of online delivery due to the impact of Covid 19, the Midlands Science Festival is back this year all across the midlands, with a  range of activities for all age groups.

Running from November 13th to November 20th, the Midlands Science Festival is back in person with a bang, some dogs and cats, a dinosaur and much more!!

Highlights include an evening In Tullamore with Ireland’s favourite vet Pete the Vet in a unique event, a Discovery Day featuring  dinosaurs and an astronomy night in Lough Boora Parklands.

Known to lots of people from national TV and radio, where he regularly answers queries on everything from hamsters to snakes,  Pete the Vet explores the science of cats and dogs in a unique event supported by Zoetis.

How much do we really know about these furry friends who share our homes and how can science help us understand them more and care for them in a way that keeps them healthy? Come along to meet Pete and learn a lot more about your furry friends and have some questions answered.

The Discovery Day is one of the most popular events of the Midlands Science Festival and is open to everyone. This year’s event in association with Integra and held in the Sacred Heart School, Tullamore, offers a chance to experience everything from dinosaurs to Ironman in one location.

Suitable for age 5 and up, the day offers the chance for participants to meet reptiles up close and personal, learn about the science of Spiderman, stare up at the night’s sky in Ireland’s largest mobile planetarium, do hands on science with Anyone 4 Science and learn about dinosaurs with Dale Treadwell and try driving in the RSA van.

“As a society, we have shown our resilience and ability to withstand adversity, bouncing back from difficult challenges we face in our daily lives and as a collective, particularly over the past few years.

“The theme of this year’s Science Week is infinite possibilities and we have a wide variety of activities for all ages. We are encouraging parents to get their children involved in the numerous events over the week.  The younger generation are the future and science is an important part of a shared better future – helping us to understand our world, inspiring new opportunities, and providing potential solutions, “  stressed Jackie Gorman, CEO Midlands Science.

Midlands Science continues its partnership with the National Museum of Ireland and this year the focus is on Offaly and workshops will be delivered in school, followed by an event for families and an event for the general public. 

There’s also plenty more on offer including an astronomy night in Lough Boora Parklands, an ecology walk, outreach to schools, a climate change project with students from Athlone and sustainable living workshops.

The Midlands Science Festival is supported by Science Foundation Ireland, through the Discover Programme. Midlands Science is supported by the Ireland Funds, the Naughton Foundation, the Medtronic Foundation and a range of other corporate and philanthropic supporters.

Booking for events open now and all details are available on www.midlandsscience.ie and on social media channels. The Midlands Science Festival is supported by Science Foundation Ireland, as part of national Science Week.