FAQs
Is the Festival happening this year?
No, the Bay Area Science Festival is taking a break in 2023, we hope to return in 2024.
Where is the Bay Area Science Festival?
The Festival is all around the San Francisco Bay Area! We work with many different STEM groups to provide quality science experiences to Bay Area residents and beyond.
How do I attend or participate?
There are so many ways! Each year the Festival includes Explorer Tours, Discovery Days, science storytimes, panels, book readings, film screenings, and more. Take a look at our Past Event Schedule for examples on how participate.
What are Discovery Days?
Discovery Days are the Bay Area Science Festival’s hands-on science extravaganzas for families. All Discovery Days are FREE and open to all. Each year over 150 exhibitors participate, offering non-stop experiments, interactive games and activities, live entertainment and encounters with unique animals and specimens. There are two Discovery Days each year, one in the East Bay and one in San Francisco’s Oracle Park.
Will there be a Discovery Day at Oracle Park?
No, in 2023 the Bay Area Science Festival is taking a break, and there will not be a Discovery Day event at Oracle Park, but we hope to return in 2024.
Will it cost anything to attend the Festival?
We’re thrilled to offer most Bay Area Science Festival events FREE of charge. Discovery Days are always free. Some venues, like museums and zoos, may require their normal entrance fee to take part in their events. The Festival’s events and experiences are a perfect opportunity to bring together science role models, families, youth and adults to discover science together.
How can I stay updated on the Festival?
The best way to stay in the know is to follow us:
And subscribe to our Newsletter (add link)
How many people have attended the BASF in the past?
With over 50 events from Santa Rosa to San Jose, BASF reaches about 50,000 people each year. In 2022, we were back in person for the first time since the pandemic, and the BASF’s Discovery Days events at Oracle park and the Discovery Day at Cal State East Bay at Hayward drew about 25,000 people.
How do I become a Festival Volunteer?
Thank you for your interest in volunteering for the Bay Area Science Festival!
Please visit our Volunteer information page and fill out the Volunteer Application Form to be added to our contact list for volunteering. Volunteer opportunities will become available in February. Please note that we require volunteers to be 16+.
How do I become a Festival Sponsor?
We offer a variety of sponsorship opportunities and exhibit options. Please contact us at [email protected] or 415-322-8254 for more information.
I am a teacher. What opportunities are there for my students?
The Bay Area Science Festival seeks participation by every Bay Area resident, especially K-12 students & teachers! We have found that K-12 teachers are integral partners in the Festival’s success.
We have multiple opportunities for teachers and students. We invite science clubs or students from local middle and high schools to join us (with their teacher advisor or another responsible adult) by hosting a booth at one of Bay Area Science Festival’s Discovery Days events. We’ve had teams of students from Bay Area schools exhibiting robots, biotechnology activities and other great science activities.
Is there a cost for exhibitors?
Discovery Days are free for the public to attend. Thus, to make the Festival sustainable year after year, we ask that Discovery Day exhibitors pay a fee to help cover the costs of tenting, equipment, permitting, and security. If the cost of participation is prohibitive, we offer a free space to non-profit organizations that participate in or host another festival event.
How do I become an exhibitor?
There will not be a Bay Area Science Festival in 2023, we hope to return in 2024. If you would like to be an exhibitor at one of our Discovery Day events, please check back in early February 2024 to fill out the Exhibitor Application.
If you have a question about exhibiting at a Discovery Day, please email us at: [email protected]
What is included with Discovery Days Exhibit Space?
Included with Exhibit Space:
- Exhibitor listing on the Bay Area Science Festival website
- Exhibitor listing on onsite Discovery Day Map
- 6’x8’ space with 6’ table and 2 chairs on Promenade or Club Levels at Oracle Park
- 8’ table with 2 chairs per 10’ exhibit area at East Bay
- Banner with your organization’s name
- 110V outlet (20 amp circuit, not dedicated)
When does Exhibitor registration open? When does it close?
There will not be a 2023 Discovery Day event, the Bay Area Science Festival is taking a break in 2023. We hope to return in 2024.
The deadline to register as an exhibitor is in March of each year. We strongly advise, as space is limited, that you sign up as soon as possible to guarantee your spot and your activity.
How do I become an event host?
If you have a specific project to propose for the Festival, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
