Cheltenham Science Festival 2026

Cheltenham Science Festival is one of the leading science festivals in the world — a week of talks, demonstrations, workshops, and interactive events exploring everything from quantum physics to the microbiome, climate science to artificial intelligence. The lineup features leading scientists, authors, and thinkers, and the festival has a gift for making complex ideas accessible and entertaining. The family programme is outstanding — hands-on workshops where kids can extract DNA, launch rockets, dissect hearts, and build robots. The free Discovery Zone in Imperial Square has interactive science exhibits and demonstrations all week. Evening events include science comedy, pub quizzes, and debates on the ethical implications of emerging technologies. Cheltenham is a beautiful Regency town and the festival uses its venues well — the Town Hall, the Everyman Theatre, and marquees in the parks. The festival runs alongside Cheltenham's other major festivals (Literature, Music, Jazz) at different times of the year. Book talks early — popular speakers sell out. The free Discovery Zone is excellent for drop-in visits.