From family maker fairs to innovative workshops and community celebrations, these highlighted events represent the creativity and energy of the Tennessee STEAM Festival.
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2026 Featured Events
EAST TENNESSEE
STEAM at the Stadium with One Knox SC and Muse Knoxville
October 11, 1:30pm-5:30pm
Calling all K–8 students! Join us for STEAM Night at the Stadium, a fun-filled evening of creativity, innovation, and soccer. Students from any county or homeschool group can participate in an Engineering Design Challenge to design a brand-new soccer stadium using any medium—think glue, popsicle sticks, LEGO, and more! Followed by One Knox Soccer Game
STEAMagination! at the UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center
October 24, 10:00am-1:00pm
Experience hands-on learning by going through stations with activities related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math as they relate to railroading! Plus, explore our Exhibit building and attendees receive a discounted rate on the Missionary Ridge Local that week!
MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Telescope Night at Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory
October 15, 7:00pm-10:00pm
Telescope Night is back at Dyer Observatory! Join us for our first Telescope Night of the season, featured as part of the Tennessee STEAM Festival. Explore Dyer’s exhibits, connect with astronomers, enjoy hands-on astronomy activities and take in views of the night sky through our telescopes, weather permitting. Come explore at your own pace during this open-house experience.
STEAM Sampler at The Gathering Place
October 16, 3:00pm-5:00pm, 6:00pm-8:00pm
October 17, 9:30am-11:30am, 12:00pm-2:00pm
Come get a taste of what we offer at The Gathering Place, THE Science and Arts Center of Southern Middle TN. Students get to explore, build, imagine, and discover; getting a taste of what we offer in our Robotics, Engineering, Arts, and Science labs throughout the year.
The Spirit and the Science of the Rainforest with MTSU
October 16, 3:30pm-5:00pm
Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza is a Peruvian chemical biologist, National Geographic Explorer, and award-winning author whose work bridges indigenous knowledge and modern science to protect the Amazon Rainforest. In this Public Lecture, she will draw on both her Andean-Amazonian indigenous roots and her ongoing field research to demonstrate how, through community collaboration, traditional ecological knowledge can partner with modern science to achieve sustainable practices.
Airport STEAM Festival at Murfreesboro Municipal Airport
October 17, 9:00am-1:00pm
We are actively putting an exciting lineup of different of police, fire, and medical, as well as several exciting aircraft to engage with. Children will be able to walk around and talk with the operators about how their vehicles work, how people use the equipment, and what makes these aircraft or vehicles go. Many exhibitors will be allowing families to sit in and feel the controls of the aircraft.
Medicinal Herbs with Dr. Rosa Vasquez Espinoza at Discovery Center
October 17, 10:30am-11:30am
Join us for a full day with Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza, National Geographic Explorer and founder of Amazon Research International, as she brings her passion for rainforest science and discovery to Middle Tennessee. Recognized among the BBC's 100 Most Influential Women in the World and celebrated for her groundbreaking work protecting Amazon biodiversity, Dr. Vásquez Espinoza will lead two hands-on workshops designed to spark curiosity in explorers of every age.
Bat Box Building with Cowan Community School
October 23, 4:30pm-6:30pm
We will be building a bat box for the bat colony which takes residence in the eaves of our building and learning about the native bat populations in Tennessee and the importance of bats in ecosystems around the world.
Story Builders: Engineering the Impossible
October 24, 12:00pm-2:00pm
Story Builders: Engineering the Impossible" invites participants to solve hands-on theatrical design challenges inspired by real backstage problem-solving. Using simple materials, visitors explore how science, technology, engineering, art, and math work together to transform imagination into live performance while discovering the creativity, collaboration, and innovation behind community theatre.
WEST TENNESSEE
October 9, 21, 22, 23,10:00am-1:00pm
School groups will be able to participate in STEAM activities with different community partners each day as well as visiting STEAM Discovery carts throughout the museum.
PLANETARIUM SPECIAL EVENT: Apollo 13 Viewing at UofM Lambuth
October 9, 7:00pm-9:00pm
Explore the intersection of Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Art with us at the University of Memphis Lambuth M. D. Anderson Planetarium as we present the movie Apollo 13, directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks presented on the dome in widescreen format, then join us for a short discussion of the movie and the real-life mission!
October 10, 10:00am-11:00am
Join us for a special Tennessee STEAM Festival edition of Storytime! We will read The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires and explore how artists, engineers, and makers turn ideas into objects through experimentation and problem-solving. After the story, young makers will investigate the properties of metal and take on a hands-on challenge to design, test, and improve their own freestanding aluminum sculpture. Designed for ages 3–7, this playful STEAM experience introduces young children to materials, sculpture, measurement, and the idea that making mistakes is an important part of creating something new
STEAM Festival At Discovery Park of America
October 16 and 17, 10:00am-3:00pm
Ready to challenge your mind? Join Discovery Park of America for the 2026 Tennessee STEAM Festival on October 16 & 17! Experience mind-bending activities, hands-on experiments, and interactive fun that will shake up everything you think you know about STEAM. Don't miss it!