11th March 2025
Hull city centre is set to come alive with creativity and innovation as it hosts Colliderfest, a festival that merges the worlds of science and art.
Hull city centre is set to come alive with creativity and innovation as it hosts Colliderfest, a festival that merges the worlds of science and art.
From this Friday 14 to Sunday 16 March, visitors will experience a unique blend of educational events, interactive workshops, and spectacular performances that celebrate the dynamic connections between science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM).
Colliderfest promises to be an exciting, educational, and immersive experience for all ages. The festival will feature over 80 events, including hands-on experiments, live shows, and thought-provoking discussions led by industry professionals and world-renowned scientists. Highlights include performances by award-winning presenter Maddie Moate and inspirational speaker Matthew Tosh.
Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: "Colliderfest is a fantastic opportunity for Hull to showcase its commitment to innovation and creativity.
“This festival not only celebrates the incredible ways science and art influence our lives but also aims to inspire the next generation to explore and embrace these fields.
“Hull City Council is proud to deliver an event that brings our community together and highlights the importance of education across a number of different areas in a fun and creative way.
“I am looking forward to seeing families and the community come together in Hull city centre and join in the activities on offer."
Mark Lorch, University of Hull - Professor of Public Engagement and Science Communication and Festival Director, said: “ColliderFest is an incredible opportunity for families and young people to immerse themselves in the wonders of science and art through hands-on, interactive experiences across Hull city centre.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing an exciting lineup of events to the city, from hand on drop-in activities throughout the city centre, spectacular displays that will light up the night to thought-provoking conversations with world-class talent, including Oscar-nominated actor and director Chiwetel Ejiofor. This festival is all about sparking curiosity, creativity, and connection – and we can’t wait to share it with everyone!”
Set against the backdrop of Hull's most iconic locations, Colliderfest will feature three distinct zones: the Discovery Zone in the Museums Quarter, Fusion Zone in Queen Victoria Square and the Exploration Zone in Trinity Square. Each zone will offer a variety of activities, from hands-on engineering challenges to exotic animal handling and state-of-the-art robotics demonstrations.
A programme highlight is The Travelling Light Circus who will be bringing a series of science-themed interactive sculptures for the first time. The incredible Pendulum Wave Machine is a truly wondrous sight to behold. Shimmering silver balls hang in the air like giant baubles, before being set into motion, dancing their way through patterns of order and patterns of chaos that must be seen to be believed. Take a stroll around The Playground of Illusions and allow yourself to be fooled by the interactive toys that will trick your eyes and ears into believing that the impossible is possible! The TLC Hypercube is an awesome cube of multicoloured LEDs and one-way mirrors that can take you to another dimension while the Spiral of Lights is made up of 6,000 LEDs which can be controlled by the public to create an ever-changing colour display.
Andy Benfield, Creative Director Travelling Light Circus, said: “We are genuinely excited in taking part in Colliderfest 2025. We love being involved with events that are free to the public as this allows so many more people to engage with our creations. It’s great to be a part of the legacy of City of Culture 2017 and we are really pleased to be bringing our work to Hull for the first time.”
The festival will also include "Colliderfest Lates," evening events featuring quizzes, talks, workshops, films, and demonstrations, as well as "Colliderfest After Dark," a psychedelic light and sound installation taking place from 6.30pm on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 March across Queen Victoria Square, Beverley Gate, Whitefriargate, and Trinity Square.
Most shows taking place at Colliderfest are free, with a limited number having an entry fee. It is an inclusive festival that unites families and communities, offering something for everyone to enjoy. Don't miss this unique opportunity to celebrate the magic of creativity and the incredible ways science and art influence our lives.
View the full programme at colliderfest.co.uk. There are many drop in events for you to enjoy. Some activities are bookable to ensure you guarantee a place.
