Brought to you by Cork Carnival of Science. 

It gets wilder and wackier every year.

And this weekend, Fitzgerald Park is about to turn into one giant science playground once again as the Cork Carnival of Science makes its return.

Running on Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th, the free festival will bring more than 50 exhibitors, 22 live shows and a full weekend of hands-on experiments, demonstrations and interactive fun right into the heart of Cork city.

It’s one of the most magical experiences on the Cork calendar, tailored specifically to kids, and it costs nothing to attend – just pack lunch and some sunscreen and enjoy a long day of free entertainment.

You can also leave lunch to the professionals; the park’s Rose Garden will be filled with food trucks all weekend, so visitors can also enjoy the best of Cork’s street food al fresco.

Ted Buckley, Glanmire and Lou Lou Wolfe, Douglas, at the launch of the 2026 Cork Carnival of Science. Photo. Darragh Kane

Organised by Cork City Council and supported through the Research Ireland Discover Programme, it’s now one of the biggest outdoor STEM events in the country — but don’t expect anything too classroom-like. Think more slime, rockets, robots, optical illusions and the kind of experiments you’re usually told not to try at home.

Across the park, visitors can drop in and out of live science shows, explore pop-up labs, and get stuck into activities designed to make curiosity feel like the main event.

Picture: Clare Keogh

From cutting-edge research to simple “how does that even work?” moments, the festival is built for all ages — whether you’re five, fifteen or just science-curious on a Saturday afternoon.

The best bit? It’s all entirely free, and you can enjoy both days if you have the energy.

From some magical insights into the wizarding world with the Science of Hogwarts to a hands-on LEGO workshop that will delight kids of all ages, this is the summer event with something special for everyone.

Here are eight cool things worth keeping an eye out for:

1. Discover The Science of Hogwarts: Science 2 Life’s brand new live show explores the science behind potions, levitation and seemingly magical reactions, revealing how chemistry and physics can create moments that feel straight from the wizarding world.
2. See RTÉ’s Mark the Science Guy Live: A familiar face to many young science fans, Mark the Science Guy brings his energetic Science is My Superhero show to Fitzgerald Park, packed with live demonstrations, audience participation and plenty of surprises.
3. Put Your Sporting Skills to the Test: Science Made Simple’s Science of Sport examines balance, movement, reaction times and athletic performance through fun experiments and interactive challenges.
4. Experience Controlled Chaos with ‘What Could Possibly Go Wrong?’: Simply Science delivers a lively outdoor performance full of audience challenges, unexpected reactions and spectacular visual moments.
5. Enjoy Circus Tricks with a Scientific Twist: The Circus Science Show from Inspirational Science combines stunts, tricks and demonstrations to show the science behind some classic circus skills.
6. Get Hands-On at LEGO Education Workshops: Young visitors can build, create and problem-solve through interactive activities designed to encourage creativity, engineering thinking and teamwork.
7. Explore Marine Life Under the Microscope: Visitors can get a closer look at the hidden world beneath the water’s surface and learn more about Ireland’s fascinating marine environments.
8. Step Inside the Curiosity Cube: Merck’s travelling science lab offers engaging experiments and demonstrations exploring science, technology and innovation in an exciting hands-on setting.

For the latest updates and full programme details, visit corkcity.ie/corkcarnivalofscience or follow @corkcitycouncilofficial on social media.