** 2025 Carnival Day Photo Gallery **
|
Last updated 29-Mar-2026 (be sure to refresh your browser)
For many of our most devoted young fans Cool Science Carnival Day for Kids IS the festival! Carnival Day at UCCS (even though it wasn't called that yet) actually began in 2009, and was such a huge hit that it was a no-brainer when we decided to expand it the following year to create the multi-day celebration of all things STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) that we all enjoy now. Cool Science Carnival Day for Kids at UCCS is truly STEAM on steroids! As always there will be several exciting demonstration shows, such as our own Prof. Ron Furstenau's Chemistry Magic! 
Chemistry Magic Show
|
If You're Going
What: Cool Science Carnival Day for Kids ** FREE ** When: Saturday, Oct. 3rd, 2026 10am*-4pm ** Special Chemistry Magic show starts at 9 am ** Where: Univ of Colorado- Colo Spgs 1420 Austin Bluffs Pkwy., Colorado Springs (map) Who: Primarily for kids K-8th (fun for all!) Why: Because STEAM Rocks! How: With your help, please donate below |
But there's a lot more than just shows on Carnival Day! We'll have dozens of hands-on STEAM activity stations featuring rockets, super cold (-320°F) treats, robots (LOTS of robots), live fish and zoo animals, bungie-jumping Barbies, building blocks, virtual and augmented reality stations, telescopes, microscopes, math puzzles, drones, bugs, bees, and 3-D printers, and much, much more! If you've never attended Carnival Day, you can check out last year's Carnival Day page to see what to expect.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Check out more photos from the 2025 Cool Science Carnival Day
All of this is presented by Cool Science and dozens of participating companies, schools, museums, clubs, nonprofits and other organizations from throughout eastern Colorado. Best of all, it's FREE (including parking) and fun for all ages!
Don't forget that Carnival Day is just one of dozens of great Colorado Springs Cool Science Festival events for all ages. Check out the full 16+ day schedule for more information.
You can also join our mailing list to keep updated on the festival and Carnival Day.
We still need lots of help to pull this off. Ask about volunteer opportunities for groups and individuals.
Don't forget that Carnival Day is just one of dozens of great Colorado Springs Cool Science Festival events for all ages. Check out the full 16+ day schedule for more information.
You can also join our mailing list to keep updated on the festival and Carnival Day.
We still need lots of help to pull this off. Ask about volunteer opportunities for groups and individuals.
Planning Your Visit
- Pre-Registration: Carnival Day is FREE, but please pre-register online (coming soon) to help us to know how many people are coming, kid's ages and how you found out about the event. It only takes a couple minutes.
- Pre-Arrival: If you like to prepare for big events in advance, you can download a copy of our Carnival Day Map/Flyer (coming soon) to plan your route through all the fun activities.
- Best Time to Come: We expect about 8,000 people to attend throughout the day, so it's always best to arrive earlier.
- Parking: All campus parking lots are FREE on Carnival Day, but fill up quickly. Check the campus parking map for more information.
- Arrival Check-in/Information Tent: The best place to start is the University Center Lower Plaza Information Tent (just to the lower right of "KFL" on this campus map), where you can pick up your Carnival Day Map/Flyer and full Festival Event Schedule. Our activities will be spread across much of the UCCS Central (main) campus, inside and outside the University Center (UCTR), Centennial Hall (CENT), Gallogly Events Center (GEC), Osborne Center (OCSE), and the Anschutz Engineering Center (AEC). We will post maps and/or volunteers to assist you at the main entrances to each of these buildings.
- Food: We expect the University Center food court, Cafe 65, will be open as well as the coffee shop, also in the University Center. The variety and quantity of food available is limited, however, so you may want to bring your own snacks.
- Weather: We'll go rain or shine. If it is raining, snowing or extremely cold we will move most of the outside activities indoors, and of course the majority of our activity stations are already indoors.
- Social Media: Help us spread the word. Please share this page with your friends (Facebook "Like" and "Share" buttons above) and share your comments and photos with us on our Carnival Day Facebook event page (and be sure to Like us on our Facebook page too). We're also on Instagram and TikTok. Use the hashtag #CSCSF. BTW we post a cool STEAM activity that we like from the internet every day on our Facebook page- check it out and give us a Like!
* Please help us keep this event admission FREE *
Make a suggested donation of $2/child ($5/family)
Donate at Information Tables (cash only) or online through ColoradoGives
Make a suggested donation of $2/child ($5/family)
Donate at Information Tables (cash only) or online through ColoradoGives
Demonstration Shows, Labs, Tours and Workshops:
Check back - schedule will be available later this summer
UCCS Chemistry and Biochemistry Dept.: Chemical Illusions (A Chemistry Magic Show)
Performance Times: TBD
Dr. Elise Naughton and her chemistry students will demonstrate their own take on the magic of chemistry, including rainbow fire, flaming gummy bears, an electric pickle, a genie in a bottle and of course, Elephant's Toothpaste! (all ages, Centennial 203).
Performance Times: TBD
Dr. Elise Naughton and her chemistry students will demonstrate their own take on the magic of chemistry, including rainbow fire, flaming gummy bears, an electric pickle, a genie in a bottle and of course, Elephant's Toothpaste! (all ages, Centennial 203).
Hands-on Activity Stations:
Check back - list of activities will be available later this summer
|
|
Colorado Springs Cool Science Carnival Day Sponsors
Colorado Springs Cool Science Carnival Day Partners
Thanks to all of our Cool Science volunteers and the participating organizations that make Carnival Day possible!
Disclaimer: Please be aware that by attending this event, you consent to your likeness being used, without compensation, in photography for use in any and all media, whether known or subsequent. You release Cool Science, its successors, assigns and licensees from any liability whatsoever of any nature.
Disclaimer: Please be aware that by attending this event, you consent to your likeness being used, without compensation, in photography for use in any and all media, whether known or subsequent. You release Cool Science, its successors, assigns and licensees from any liability whatsoever of any nature.
