Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bay Area Science Festival?
The Bay Area Science Festival is a celebration of science that takes place across the Bay Area. One important goal of the Bay Area Science Festival is to offer high-quality science experiences to all Bay Area residents during the ten days of the Festival. To accomplish this, the Festival works with local science leaders in communities across the San Francisco Bay Area.
What are Discovery Days?
Discovery Days are the Bay Area Science Festival’s hands-on science days for families. Discovery Days are free and open to the public. There are three Discovery Days each year: in the North Bay at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, in the South Bay or East Bay (alternate years), and in San Francisco's Oracle Park.
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Is the Discovery Day free?
The Discovery Day Events are free for the public to attend! Generous sponsors and exhibitors cover the costs of the event.
At the North Bay Science Discovery Day, the PARKING is also free! ​Did we mention that EVERYTHING is FREE for EVERYBODY?
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What happens if it rains?
The majority of our activities are inside buildings. If it rains, most of the outdoor activities will be able to move indoors.
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How many people have attended in the past?
In 2018 we were up to 15,000 attendees! This is a major increase from our first event in 2011, when there were 4,000 attendees.
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What is your advice for attendees?
We have lots of fabulous food vendors, but the lunch lines in the past have been long. Consider bringing lunch, beverages, and snacks so that you don't have to spend a long time in a food line. Consider marking your cell phone number on your child's arm, so if he or she gets lost we can quickly find you.
Who is the organizing entity for the North Bay Science Discovery Day
The Buck Institute for Research on Aging acts as a fiscal agent. The Buck is a pioneer in the study of the biology of aging. Everything we do revolves around our commitment to helping people live better longer.
The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (also known as Cooperative Extension) is the hosting and contract agent. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources connects the power of UC research in agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, and youth development with local communities to improve the lives of all Californians.