BANGOR, Maine — Entering its second year, the Maine Science Festival promises to be bigger and broader than its debut, while remaining free to attendees.
Organizers say much credit is owed to downtown business owners who have opened their spaces, and sponsors who have offered funding and expertise, to bring science to the forefront for a weekend. Along with drawing people downtown to Bangor’s city streets, business owners and organizers say they hope the event will inspire students who will grow up to be Maine’s scientists, engineers and researchers.
“They have been extraordinary in working with us,” festival organizer Kate Dickerson said.
The Maine Science Festival runs Friday, March 18, through Sunday, March 20.
While much of the activity is focused at the Cross Insurance Center, events stretch down Main Street and branch to bars, restaurants, galleries and shops throughout downtown. For a full schedule of events, visit mainesciencefestival.org.
This year, the festival is expanding to a full day on Friday, allowing 1,100 middle and high schoolers to attend from across the state on field trips. Dickerson said she hopes many of them will return with their families throughout the weekend, but she wants to stress that the festival isn’t just for them.
“One of the hardest parts has been making sure people realize this is for all ages,” Dickerson said. “We aren’t just for school kids.”
Case in point: Blaze, a downtown bar and restaurant, will open its doors to festival-goers age 21 and over. The bar is hosting Science on Tap, a showcase event from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, with speakers presenting examples of some of the seven deadly sins as exhibited in nature. Tony Sohns, a natural historian and co-owner of The Rock & Art Shop, will cover gluttony; Will Broussard of the Mount Washington Observatory will discuss the wrath of extreme weather; and Shannon McCoy, a UMaine psychology faculty member, will discuss pride.The event is meant to be informal, fun and interactive, Dickerson said.
Other grown-up attendees might enjoy the antique computers that will be on display as part of an exhibit at the Maine Discovery Museum from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday. Marshall Grover of the Maine State Office of Information Technology will bring a collection of old computers and operating systems to show how quickly the world of computing has changed over the past 30-40 years.
The hub of the weekend’s activities will be at the Cross Insurance Center. The convention center’s ballroom will host leaders in science and research from across the state, who will set up booths for demonstrations on topics from Maine’s marine ecosystem to math games and optical illusions. Events geared toward kids and teens will have them writing computer code, stepping into virtual reality, exploring the human brain and dissecting owl pellets.
Meeting rooms at the Cross Insurance Center will host dozens of smaller break-out demonstrations and talks throughout the weekend. Those sessions include some fruitful panel discussions about topics ranging from aquaculture to Maine’s role in space exploration.
Representatives of Jackson Laboratory, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Science and MDI Biological Laboratory will discuss recent voter-approved bonds and show exactly what scientific research and findings resulted from that taxpayer funding.
Ed Bilsky of the University of New England and other panelists will discuss opioid addiction and the toll it is taking on Mainers. They’ll cover the science behind addiction, treatment and take questions from the audience. That is at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 19.
“I don’t think people recognize the vast scope of the organizations that are sending us their experts so we can hear about the cool, cutting-edge work they do,” Dickerson said.
A short drive on Main Street will bring attendees to more offerings downtown. For some of these venues, the scientific focus comes naturally.
The Rock & Art Shop sells artwork, decorations and toys with a focus on the natural sciences. It also will host “What Rhymes with Science,” a series of science-focused poetry readings, at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, March 20.
“Last year, we saw an influx of people who had never even been to downtown Bangor before,” said Annette Sohns, who co-owns The Rock & Art Shop with family members. “They’re walking on these streets, exploring while they’re trying to find venues. The fact that they bring [the festival] throughout downtown, really helps to bring to focus the fact that there’s a lot going on downtown.”
The Central Street Farmhouse will host a winemaking demonstration, running attendees through the science behind why wine becomes wine. The company did the same thing last year with beer.
“We’re already talking about the science of winemaking every day, so this is a natural fit for us,” owner Zeth Lundy said.
Another session at the Central Street offices of WBRC Architects and Engineers will focus on “targeted” manufacturing in Maine, and how the successes of some companies around the state — Texas Instruments, Baker Company, FHC and Corning — are disproving the myth that manufacturing is dead in the Pine Tree State.
Dickerson said that she didn’t want to rely on Bangor businesses for financial support, because the event is meant to serve the entire state. This year’s festival has an “incredibly shoestring” budget of $120,000, funded largely by sponsors from across the state and grants, Dickerson said.
Thanks to those contributions, all events are being offered for free, with the exception of a presentation by headlining author and statistician Nate Silver, who speaks at Hampden Academy at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 19. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults in advance via the website and Eventbrite, and $15 for students and $20 for adults at the door.
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter at @nmccrea213.