SciFest Schedule: 2026

Join us to celebrate Pi Day and Einstein’s birthday with a 3.14 mile fun run/walk, with a piece of pi(e) afterward!  Learn more about the SciFest Pi Run at this link. This year, the event is in-person, but there is a virtual option for alumnae/alumni who are not local to the College.

• Audience: This event is open to the public.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Limited to the first 300, please register here starting on January 15, 2026.
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More to come later.  To learn more about past Keynote Speakers, see the Keynote Speaker Details.

• Audience: This event is open to the public.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Registration/tickets are not required.

At the opening of the keynote event, we will award the 2026 SciFest STAR – the regional, high school science teacher award! We invite anyone to nominate a teacher, or to self-nominate; it does take a small effort to gather some documentation, and the nomination process is described at this link.

• Audience: This event is open to the public.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Follow this link for nomination instructions.

Randolph College staff and students are welcome to join our science alums for an informal lunch.

• Audience: This event is open to Randolph staff, faculty, and students.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Registration/tickets are not required.

Visit the Center for Student Research, the hub for student research and creative endeavors in all subjects, not just science. Drop by to see our space, to see displays of student research, and enjoy some snacks.

• Audience: This event is open to the public.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Registration/tickets are not required.

We are proud of our alumnae! Learn how they have succeeded in their fields. Please join us if you’re interested in hearing from successful women scientists, but especially if you are considering going into a career related to science.  This year’s panelists will be announced in January. To see last year’s panelists, please visit this link. The Office of Alumni Relations is hosting a reception for the panelists and guests immediately following the panel discussion.

• Audience: This event is open to the public.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Registration/tickets are not required.
• WIS Panel Flier: Click here for the downloadable flier (coming in January).

Please join us for the reception, awards, and reading of all SciFest Poetry Jam finalists. Refreshments will be served.

(Poetry submissions for 2026 are now being accepted!) We look forward to seeing you all at the Science Festival. Learn more about the SciFest Poetry Jam!. Finalists are invited to read your poem at this event. All are invited to join us for the poetry reading. All finalists receive a t-shirt, and three STEM Contest winners from each grade category (primary, elementary, middle, high), and a winner from each category of the JRW Contest will be announced. Congratulations to all who submitted a poem!

• Audience: This event is open to the public.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Registration/tickets are not required for this event. Instructions for submitters are here.

Join us to watch the movie with live commentary from a science Professor and researcher. Movie and presenter to be determined. Free popcorn and soda for all!

• Audience: This event is open to the public.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Registration/tickets are not required.

For children in grades 3-6, a parent, guardian, or responsible adult must be present for individual or group of children. Requires pre-registration, please follow this link for details: SciFest Science Day for 3rd-6th Graders.

• Audience: This event is open to 3rd-6th graders.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Limited to the first 300, please register here starting on January 15, 2026.

For children ages 3-7, child must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult at all times. Requires pre-registration, please follow this link for details: Science Day for Little Scientists.

• Audience: This event is open to children ages 3-7.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Limited to the first 300 (75 each hour, you need to register for a particular hour), please register here starting on January 15, 2026.

Come view the heavens! Refreshments will be served, and wear white or neon colors to glow with the stars!

• Audience: This event is open to the public.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Registration/tickets are not required.
• Star Party Schedule beyond SciFest: https://randolphscience.org/star-parties/.

Maker Faire Lynchburg is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and love sharing what they can do.  We partner with Vector Space, our local makerspace to bring this event to campus as part of SciFest.  From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, the Maker Faire is a venue for these “makers” to show hobbies, experiments, and projects. Activities are appropriate for all ages. Check out all of the awesome makers here: https://lynchburg.makerfaire.com/makers-exhibits/

In addition to the Maker Faire, hands-on science exhibitions provided by the Randolph College Society of Physics Students will also be present! From non-Newtonian fluid to campus sustainability, we look forward to seeing everyone during Sunday activities!

A map of all 2025 activities may be viewed at https://lynchburg.makerfaire.com/event-map/.

• Meet the Makers: https://lynchburg.makerfaire.com/makers-exhibits/
• Audience: This event is open to the public.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: https://lynchburg.makerfaire.com/tickets/

Esports Console Cafe – 11-4 – Welcome gamers of all levels to take a break from the festivities upstairs on the 2nd floor of Hampson Commons where we will have open Mario Kart and Smash Bros setups with small prizes for playing! Console time will be first come but we will rotate frequently so everyone gets to show their skills. Will also have a small viewing area for the Esports showmatch happening upstairs.

Randolph v. VT Game Changer Showmatch – 12-2:30 – The Wildcats host the Hokies Valorant Game Changers teams in a multi-game best of 3 featuring Valorant, Poker and a mystery game. Watch with commentary in Nichols Theatre on the 3rd floor and help the Wildcats hold home field advantage. Game changer teams are Gender Inclusive which offer a different experience than traditional esports you may be familiar with and have a focus on making the gaming community a safer and more inclusive space for everyone. Valorant is a game rated T for Teen for Blood, Language and Violence (guns) and Digital poker has been rated T for Simulated Gambling so viewer discretion is advised.

• Audience: This event is open to all for participation or just to watch!
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: no registration necessary

This year, Randolph College will be offering two LEGO® competitions –the traditional FIRST® LEGO® League Explore projects and a smaller building challenge using kits provided by Randolph. You can learn more about the FIRST® LEGO® League Explore competition on this page.

• Audience: Registration is open to elementary school teams and individuals. All participants are welcome to join the competition on the day of the event.
• Cost: The Expo is free to registrants and observers, but teams will need to register with FIRST to purchase challenge materials. See here for more details. Our optional smaller build challenge is free to registrants and observers, and we will cover cost of materials.
• Registration: Please see instructions here. Deadline for Expo Registration is March 13th, 2026. Deadline for Randolph Scholarships is February 14, 2026. Registration for smaller build challenge is open now, and we will accept day-of builds! Email tcerulli@randolphcollege.edu if there are further questions.

As part of SciFest, Randolph College will serve as the host for the second annual Lynchburg Regional KidWind Challenge, partnered with Future Focus Foundation.  Elementary School teams (4th-5th grade) and Middle School teams (6th-8th grade), with 2-6 students per team and their coaches will build a wind turbine and explore renewable energy concepts.  They’ll put their designs to the test during the challenge, and the winning teams will go on to compete at the State Challenge at JMU.

• Audience: Registration is open to elementary and middle school teams.
• Cost: Resources are available for free Wind Turbine challenge kits.  Email FutureFocusFoundation@gmail.com to learn more about ways to get access to those resources.
• Registration: Please register a team at this link. Challenge Registration closes February 17, 2026.
• Coach (Team or Parent) Info: Visit our Lynchburg Info Dashboard here.

Attend the Science + Art Saturdays 2025 Randolph Scholars awards ceremony and Science Saturdays information session. Come if you’ve attended any Science + Art Saturdays event, or if you are curious to learn about the program. Learn more about Science + Art Saturdays.

• Audience: This event is open to the public.
• Cost: Free!
• Registration: Registration/tickets are not required.

Marie Curie Sponsors ($5000 and above)

BWXT – Framatome

Albert Einstein Sponsors ($2500-$4999)

Genworth – Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation – United Bank

Isaac Newton Sponsors ($1000-$2499)

Bill A. and Lynn Hume Stuart – Dodson Bros. Exterminating – Vector Space – James River Association – Eileen Deegan Gilman ’88 (tribute to Hailey Gilman ’22) – Innovate Lynchburg – Blumont Energy Corp. – High Peak Sportswear

Rosalind Franklin Sponsors ($500-$999)

Peery and Woolwine Family Dentistry – Fleet Labs – Catherine Tucker-Slaterbeck – Bank of the James – McGriff Insurance – Future Focus Foundation – Lynchburg Ready Mix – Greif, Inc. – Bruce Christian – Wiley|Wilson – Foster Fuels – Givens Books Little Dickens

Friends ($50-$499)

Amazement Square – Catherine Chapman – Karen E. Campbell ’77 – Tricia Kirby-Wiggins – Ann Fabirkiewicz – Coleman-Adams Construction, Inc. – Frito Lay – Randy & Robin Earley – Chris Ivaniski – Anne M. Bullerjahn ’81 – The Virginian Hotel – Columbia Gas

• Keynote Speaker sponsored by BWXT
• STAR Teacher Award sponsored by Framatome
• Women in Science Panel sponsored by Framatome
• Scientist Goes to the Movies sponsored by United Bank
• LEGO Build Challenge Expo sponsored by Genworth Financial
• Named sponsor opportunities still available: SciFest Steven Hawking Title Sponsor, Science Day for 3rd-6th graders, Science Day for Little Scientists, Pi Run, Poetry Jam!, KidWind Challenge
• Please visit this link to learn more about our sponsors or to become a Sponsor or a Friend