2023 – The first Somerscience Festival!

The inaugural Somerscience Festival, held on May 1st 2023 in Bruton and Castle Cary, Somerset, was a vibrant, family-focused celebration of STEM.

Over 4,800 visitors attended, with nearly half (45%) aged 4–18, reflecting strong engagement with young people. More than 50% of attendees were local to South Somerset, while visitors also came from across the county, nearby regions including Bristol, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon, and as far as London and Kent.

The festival offered hands-on activities, live demonstrations, and opportunities to meet STEM professionals, covering fields from oceanography, robotics, aerospace, and health science, to sustainable energy, cyber security, medical and agricultural engineering, meteorology, veterinary science, and more.

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive: over 90% of visitors rated the festival as ‘good’ or ‘very good’, 85% said they would recommend it, 94% reported a better understanding of STEM, and 87% gained insights specifically into STEM careers.

The first Somerscience Festival successfully inspired curiosity, provided practical learning experiences, and highlighted the diverse career pathways STEM offers. Plans for Somerscience 2024 promise an even bigger, more exciting event.