A world-class festival designed to engage and inspire the next generation of scientists, tech-nologists, engineers and mathematicians is coming to Durham St next month.
Plans include the closure of a whole block of the CBD, from Elizabeth St to Spring St, for a fun-filled festival that will entertain the whole family.
Tauranga's first STEMFest will feature drones, virtual reality, augmented reality, messy science experiments, large-scale engineering exhibits, and technology demonstrations, as well as practical coding sessions, inspirational presentations from STEM enthusiasts and professionals.
"STEMFest is a celebration of the wonders of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It is free to attend, and it is designed for the whole whānau. There will be all sorts of workshops and hands on activities," says festival founder Tia Lush.
Tia is a graphic designer and technologist with a passion for inspiring young people through shared learning experiences. She moved to Tauranga in 2017 from the UK, where she founded Peterborough STEM Festival. Now in its fourth successful year, the event welcomed nearly 3000 visitors in 2018.
With the help of a team of passionate co-organisers, Tia is excited about bringing the format to her newly adopted home in Tauranga. She says she's thrilled to have met so many like-minded people in Tauranga who share the same passion for working with young people and driving change for the good.