STEAMfest Needs You!
STEAMfest is powered by community partners who love helping kids explore science, technology, engineering, arts, and math through hands-on experiences.
We’re looking for organizations, teams, and individuals to host interactive activity booths at STEAMfest 2026. Booths are a great way to share what you do, inspire curiosity, and connect with families from across our region.
As a booth sponsor, you can:
Spark curiosity. Invite kids to explore a STEAM idea through a hands-on activity that encourages questions, experimentation, and creativity.
Show what you do. Share your organization’s mission, programs, services, or opportunities in a way families can understand in minutes.
Connect with families. Meet parents and caregivers face-to-face, answer questions, and point them to resources, next steps, or upcoming events.
Engage students meaningfully. Create a welcoming booth experience that helps kids feel confident trying something new—no prior knowledge required.
Grow awareness locally. Build visibility and goodwill by being part of a community event that families look forward to each year.
Recruit your people. Attract volunteers, members, mentors, supporters, or participants by sharing clear ways to get involved after the event.
Highlight real-world pathways. Introduce students to careers, tools, and real applications of STEAM, and help them picture themselves in those roles.
Build partnerships. Network with other exhibitors and community leaders to spark collaborations that extend beyond STEAMfest.
Extend your impact. Offer take-home ideas or simple follow-ups (resources, links, QR codes, or sign-ups) so families can keep learning afterward.
What Is An Activity Booth?
STEAMfest isn’t a typical science fair—it’s a hands-on STEAM playground. An activity booth is an interactive mini-experience that helps visitors Imagine, Discover, or Explore a STEAM concept.
The best booths get kids doing: mixing, building, designing, testing, tinkering, and creating. If students can touch it, try it, or make something happen, you’re on the right track.
And you don’t have to start from scratch—great activities often come directly from what your organization already knows and loves to do.
STEAMfest 2026
*** Registration Now Open ***
Date:
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Location:
Registration Deadline:
February 13, 2026
Cost:
Booth Sponsor Signup
Display
A booth might display interesting information and objects relating to a topic.
- A collection of geology samples.
- Microscope and slides.
- Biological sample jars.
Demonstration
A booth might include a presenter providing a demonstration of an activity, concept, or device.
- Show students how to perform a chemical experiment.
- Demonstrate a Van de Graaff generator, Archimedes screw, cloud chamber, etc.
- View sun via solar telescope.
Activities
A booth might include an activity that the students can participate in.
- Experiments with magnets.
- Build a simple electrical circuit or construct a neuron.
- Hands on chemistry experiments in ziploc bags.
- A visual arts and craft like making paper, stamp block printing, etc.
Activity booths draw attention when visitors are allowed to mix, construct, or play often times with exciting outcomes.
Booth Examples
Here are a few of the over 100 booths and their sponsoring organization that have been created for STEAMfest in the past.
- Solar Home Demo – Davidson College Sustainability and Environmental Studies
- Butterfly Activity – Davidson Land Conservancy
- Bird Buffet – NC Wildlife Commission
- Build Your Own Neuron – Davidson Neuroscience Club
- Virtual Reality – Davidson College FICSIT
- Reptile Zoo – Davidson College Herpetology Lab – Live snakes, turtles and lizards.
- Fossils, Insects, Geology – Discovery Place – Touchable mini-museum.
- Amateur Radio – American Radio Relay League – Working amateur radio station.
- Adventures In Slime! – Davidson College Chemistry Department – Hands on chemistry experiment.
- Water in Ancient Egypt: The Archimedes Screw – Iredell Museums – Working water screw.
- Juice from Juice – UNCC – Associate of Nanoscience Graduate Students
- Engineering Technology – CPCC Engineering Technology – Robotic arms and more.
- Ziploc Chemistry – Woodlawn STEAM program – Endothermic and exothermic reactions in a bag.
Booth Guidelines
Booth sponsors will be expected to provide the content for the booth, including items for display, demonstrations, and activities. We do not expect professionally built trade show quality booths. Engaging and inspiring content is the critical element.
Booth sponsors are welcome to use the booth as an opportunity to promote their mission, brand, services, and products, as long as such promotion complement the educational nature of the event. Activity booths are not allowed to sell products or services directly at the event.
Visitors should be able to complete the activity at the booth in 5 minutes or less on average. We want to encourage visitors to see many booths and we want many visitor to experience your booth.
If possible, booths should appeal to a range of ages. This may not be possible on all topics, but ideally we’d like both the kindergartener and the high school student to get something out of the experience. It’s ok if you have two or three different levels of activity in order to support different age ranges. However, don’t be discouraged if your content is most appropriate for a specific age range. We will have a wide range of guests of all ages and interest.
Both indoor and outdoor booth locations are available including some covered outdoor locations. Due to the potential for inclement weather, please plan accordingly for outdoor booths.
For each booth, STEAMfest will provide:
- A 6′ table with a tablecloth, skirt, and two folding chairs.
- A sign with booth number, title, and sponsor name matching the event theme.
- An electrical outlet (if requested).
- Wi-Fi Internet access.
We have a limited number of screens, overhead and computer projection units, white boards, and art easels. Please let us know if you need these or similar equipment. Additional tables and expanded space are available upon request.
We also have a large fenced soccer field and track that available for activities like model rockets or drone flights.
We have adult and student volunteers who will be assisting at with the event. If you need assistance staffing your booth or if you want to have the booth staffed entirely by our volunteers, then this can be arranged.
We have limited budget for this event, but if your booth requires expendable supplies for demonstrations or activities, then we may be able to assist. Please discuss with us in advance.
Safety is extremely important. Each booth concept will be reviewed by our safety committee in advance. Additional safety checks will take place before the event opens. Examples of safety concerns include:
- Children should not be given knives or sharp objects.
- Avoid corrosive or flammable liquids. If such items are needed for your booth, please notify us in advance so that we can discuss a safety plan.
- Avoid passing out pointy sticks or other objects that could present a risk after leaving the booth.