A day of science and fun
Science Rendezvous Kingston is a free, annual science festival for Southeastern Ontario families hosted by Queen's University.
Faculty members, staff and students, together with community partners, provide our visitors with hands-on demonstrations, awe-inspiring exhibits and fun experiments to inspire the next generation.
The 2024 theme was INNOVATE, and we had 60 booths featuring topics ranging from wildlife conservation to robotics and climate change. On May 11, 2024, at the Slush Puppie Place and on The Tragically Hip Way, our event welcomed 5,200 visitors.
Thank you for making Science Rendezvous Kingston a huge success!
Our booths
How does the human brain work? Do plants get sick? Can we 3D print a home? What goes on inside a bee hive? How can we protect paintings and other artwork? What is a space exploration rover? How does Indigenous knowledge contribute to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics? What do greenhouse gases do to our atmosphere?
Science Rendezvous Kingston is the place for curious people to be! Our visitors participate in fun STEM activities, experiments, and chats with lots of scientists.
Special presentations
Queen's Department of Chemistry performed two Chemistry Magic Shows on the main stage, at 10:30 AM and 1:45 PM. The team demonstrated visually striking experiments, including controlled explosions and colourful flames. Examples included the "elephant toothpaste" and the “barking dog”.
Also, for the first time, Science Rendezvous Kingston features The Great Canadian Invention Circus, a live show full of astounding facts and circus acts. The audience learned how Canadians INNOVATE to solve problems and make our daily lives easier! Presentation was at noon on the main stage.
Sensory Friendly Science Zone
Science fun is for EVERYONE, so, if you prefer to explore STEM activities in a quieter environment away from crowds and loud noises, we got you covered!
Our Sensory Friendly Science Zone featured exclusive booths and activities, including a wave tank, a sand box to dig your own fossils, and a wildlife care demonstration.
Oyez, oyez!
The City of Kingston has proclaimed May 11, 2024 Science Rendezvous Kingston Day!
Our event engages and inspires young Kingstonians and all citizens to participate in discovery, experimentation, and exploration in all areas of science.
Our visitors learned from and along with the local scientists from Queen's University, Kingston Health Science Centre, local museums, and community organizations.
All are welcome
In our continuing efforts to make Science Rendezvous Kingston inclusive for all, we developed promotional videos in different languages, with the goal of sending a special invitation to immigrant families.
During the event, many of our volunteers also use name tags indicating the different languages they can assist our visitors in.
Access the promotional videos:
Keep the learning going
After a full day of science and fun, you can keep the learning going by reading amazing books that will deepen your knowledge of some of the topics you explored at Science Rendezvous Kingston. Queen's University Library and the Faculty of Education have prepared lists of books in English and French for different age groups:
English - Read more about innovators and inventors (PDF 728 KB)
English - Read more about Leonardo da Vinci (PDF 720.5 KB)
English - Read more about whales (DF 709.1 KB)
Français - La mer, les océans et les grands animaux marins (PDF 744.6 KB)
Français - Léonard de Vinci et autres inventeurs/inventrices (PDF 714.7 KB)
This event is made possible thanks to these supporters:
