New model for next year’s World Science Festival Brisbane
- 24 Oct 2019
This new model will give more Queenslanders the opportunity to participate in more events through an extended regional line-up of activities that will focus on the theme of Extremes and Adaptations.
World Science Festival Brisbane is the only festival of its kind held in the Asia-Pacific region, and next year there is set to be a record number of regional events, starting with Chinchilla in February, Gladstone in March, Toowoomba in April, Townsville in May and September, and Ipswich in June and November.
This is the largest regional program ever produced in the festival’s history and it will offer a range of great experiences with hands-on activities, a family-friendly street science program and stargazing activities.
This year’s Festival, hosted by Queensland Museum, recorded more than 205,000 visitors, which was the largest number since it began in 2016.
In the past four years, World Science Festival Brisbane has taken science out of the labs and onto the streets, enthralled audiences, engaged communities and injected more than $32 million into the Queensland economy.
This year, all regional areas experienced a growth in attendances, which is hoped to grow even further at next year’s festival.
Queensland Museum CEO Dr Jim Thompson said the festival grew bigger every year.
“Through a compelling program of signature events, conversations, and cinema the program will allow audiences the chance to explore the diversity of nature, the miracle of human existence and ingenuity, physics, and the mind-blowing promise of space,” Dr Thompson said.
“In Brisbane we will expand the popular Street Science! event to include four jam packed days of science activities.
“Science plays a major role in people’s lives — regardless of where they live — and it’s great to know visitors to Brisbane and our regional communities will be able to engage with leading scientists and teachers during the festival,” Dr Thompson said.
The Queensland Government supports World Science Festival with $3 million in annual funding.
A full program of events will be announced in early 2020. For more information visit www.worldsciencefestival.com.au.
World Science Festival Brisbane and regional dates 2020:
Brisbane: 25-29 March 2020
Chinchilla: 28 – 29 February 2020
Gladstone: 20-21 March 2020
Toowoomba: 6-20 April 2020
Townsville: 15-16 May 2020, 19 September – 5 October 2020
Ipswich: 27 June – 12 July 2020, 27-28 November 2020