BECOME A BIG SCIENCE CELEBRATION EXHIBITOR

Saturday, May 9, 2020 from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Applications for the 2020 Big Science Celebration are now closed. If you have questions or concerns, please email COSISciFest@cosi.org

The Big Science Celebration is the culminating event of the COSI Science Festival. The event will brings thousands of people to the Peninsula, including Washington Blvd., Genoa and Dorrian Green Parks, Town Street and COSI, for a day of interactive activities hosted by Columbus’s own science, technology, engineering and mathematics focused organizations. This FREE event is open to all, but the primary target audience will be families with school ages children, with a special focus on those with limited access to science education resources.

ALL Big Science Celebration exhibitors must design their booths and activities to engage the public in an interactive, hands-on way with some aspect of science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics. We encourage you to be creative! Help the public understand what your organization does for our community and beyond. Help us address workforce challenges by bridging the STEM skills gap and allowing our community’s children to see themselves in scientists and scientists in themselves.

PRICING

An event of this scale and magnitude involves many costs (including but not limited to: permitting fees, equipment rentals, security, labor, etc). The exhibitor fee allows us to recoup some of these costs so that the Festival can be sustained year after year. We are aware that these costs may prohibit participation for some exhibitors and we would like to work with all groups to make entry possible. If the cost of participation is prohibitive, please reach out to us.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR A SUCCESSFUL BIG SCIENCE CELEBRATION EXHIBITOR BOOTH

BE PREPARED

• The Big Science Celebration is a 6 hour event. Make sure to staff your exhibit accordingly. Schedule your staff/volunteers in shifts and be sure to take breaks! An event as highly interactive and hands-on like this can be draining. Visit the other exhibits, head to a food truck, or simply find a shaded spot in the grass to relax for a bit.
• At least 3 people staffing your exhibit at a time is encouraged.
• Train your staff/volunteers beforehand!
• Not everyone running your activities needs to be an expert, but make sure at least one person can really dive into the details and answer questions for the extra curious participants.
• We highly recommend your staff dresses the part. Represent your organization with a branded t-shirt. And don’t forget your CSF button!
• Really think through the amount of materials you will need. To start, think about how many people can your exhibit accommodate in an hour? Multiply that by 6 and then add in a little extra for safe measure.
• Safety first! Set a good example and practice safe science for attendees. Bring goggles, gloves, lab coats, etc if need.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

• We are expecting the exhibits to be extremely busy with eager learners so it is important to keep your activities efficient. Prepare for each activity to handle at least 3-5 participants at a time and to last no longer than 5 minutes.
• Speak their language. Be careful not to use too many technical words and terms. When techy terms are needed, be sure to take the extra time to explain.

GRAB THEIR ATTENTION

• Put thought into your booth design, what is going to pull attendees to your exhibit?
• Don’t forget that you have tent walls, be sure to include some engaging posters, etc.
• Bring items and activities that encourage attendees to touch, feel, explore and play as you guide them through the science concepts behind them.
• Be engaging and outgoing! Smile and have fun! This is your chance to show your passion to the next generation.

KEEP THEM ENGAGED

• Ask questions.
• Kids love to get messy and it is a great way to keep them engaged, but don’t forget to offer the necessary cleaning materials for them to use when they are ready to move on.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS