Colorado Springs Cool Science Festival Returns October 3–18: 16 Days of STEAM Events for Families

If you've got curious kids at home, mark the calendar now. The Colorado Springs Cool Science Festival runs October 3–18, 2026, bringing 16 days of science, technology, engineering, art, and math activities to the community. Most events are free, and the festival offers programming for all ages — from kindergarteners to adults.

The headliner is Cool Science Carnival Day on October 3 at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). It's free, parking is free, and it's designed primarily for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade — though families with kids outside that range are absolutely welcome to explore.

What to Expect at Carnival Day

Carnival Day is the festival's biggest single event and a genuinely fun morning for families. The UCCS campus hosts a range of activities that are hard to find anywhere else: live science magic shows that explain the tricks behind the illusions, actual laboratory tours with working demos, rockets (both model and water rockets), slime-making stations, drone demonstrations, live animals from educational programs, virtual reality science experiences, robots, and the fan favorite — liquid nitrogen frozen treats.

If you haven't seen kids watch liquid nitrogen up close, the reaction is worth showing up for on its own. It's the kind of hands-on science moment that sticks with kids in a way that a textbook description can't replicate.

The event is best for kids who are naturally curious and like doing things rather than just watching. It tends to be busy, so arriving earlier in the morning will give families more room to explore at a comfortable pace.

Sixteen Days of Programming

Beyond Carnival Day, the Cool Science Festival features events across the full two-week period. Programming spans topics like astronomy, environmental science, engineering challenges, and coding. Events happen at multiple venues around Colorado Springs, with the full calendar available at coolscience.org.

Most events in the festival are free, though a handful may have a small admission fee. It's worth checking the full schedule ahead of time to find which specific events are the best fit for your kids' ages and interests.

What's Next

With three weeks to go before the festival kicks off, now is a good time to look at the schedule and flag a few events on your family calendar. October in Colorado Springs tends to bring the most unpredictable weather of the year — knowing which events are indoors versus outdoors will help with planning.

Visit coolscience.org for the complete 2026 event lineup, locations, and any registration requirements for specific programs.