Las Vegas Science and Technology Festival Closes 15th Year at World Market Center

The free, nine-day event series drew families to more than 60 interactive exhibits and live demonstrations at the EXPO at World Market Center.

The Las Vegas Science and Technology Festival closed out its 15th year Saturday with its signature Giant Science and Technology Expo at the EXPO at World Market Center, capping a nine-day event series presented by the Clark County School District and the Las Vegas Science and Natural History Museum. The free, full-day showcase featured more than 60 interactive exhibits and live demonstrations from scientists, researchers, STEM professionals, and organizations across Southern Nevada.

What the Giant Expo Offered Families

Attendees at Saturday's expo could take part in hands-on experiments and STEM activations, watch live demonstrations, and meet working scientists. Exhibits covered robotics, virtual reality, coding, eSports, and other emerging technologies. Visitors also had the opportunity to get up close with wildlife encounters and view prehistoric fossils discovered in Nevada.

The event was free to attend, a deliberate choice by organizers aimed at lowering barriers for families across the region. Alexandra Liebman, director of the Las Vegas Science and Technology Festival, described the goal plainly: 'This is for all families with students who are curious and want to explore and learn. And our hope is that we break down some barriers by offering free events like this giant expo, so it's really easy for families to come out and enjoy and learn together.'

Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers

Organizers framed the final day of the festival specifically around career inspiration. Liebman said the hope is 'to inspire maybe the next scientist, biologist, engineer, innovator, whatever that is.' That framing reflects a broader mission the festival has carried across its 15-year run: connecting young people in Southern Nevada to STEM fields at a time when those careers are among the fastest-growing in the national economy.

The festival's education focus extended to a competitive element for local schools. The Clark County School District school with the highest student and family attendance at the Giant Expo received the Giant Expo Attendance Award, which includes $1,000 for the school. The tradition began with Elise L. Wolff Elementary School in 2023, followed by Billy and Rosemary Vassiliadis Elementary School in 2024 and Jerome D. Mack Middle School in 2025.

Planning Already Underway for Year 16

With the 15th edition now complete, organizers said they are already planning next year's festival and are actively seeking additional community partners to help expand the event. No specific dates or venues for the 2027 edition were announced.

The festival's longevity in Las Vegas is notable given the competitive landscape for public attention in a city built around entertainment. Running for 15 consecutive years, the event has established itself as one of the region's most consistent free educational offerings for families.

What we know

• The Giant Science and Technology Expo took place Saturday at the EXPO at World Market Center in Las Vegas.
• The expo was the final day of a nine-day event series and marked the festival's 15th year.
• The event was free to attend and featured more than 60 interactive exhibits and live demonstrations.
• The festival was presented by CCSD and the Las Vegas Science and Natural History Museum.
• Exhibits included robotics, virtual reality, coding, eSports, wildlife encounters, and prehistoric fossils discovered in Nevada.
• The CCSD school with the highest student and family attendance received the Giant Expo Attendance Award, which includes $1,000 for the school.
• Past Attendance Award winners were Elise L. Wolff Elementary School (2023), Billy and Rosemary Vassiliadis Elementary School (2024), and Jerome D. Mack Middle School (2025).
• Organizers said they are already planning next year's festival and are looking for more community partners.

The take

Fifteen years is a meaningful milestone for any free public science festival, and the Las Vegas event's longevity reflects a model that has proven durable in cities across the country. Large-scale science festivals modeled on events like the USA Science and Engineering Festival, which launched in Washington D.C. in 2010, have proliferated as school districts and science institutions look for ways to reach families outside the classroom. The free-admission structure is central to that mission: research on STEM engagement consistently shows that cost is one of the primary barriers keeping lower-income families from participating in enrichment activities. By anchoring the expo at the World Market Center, one of the largest convention facilities in the region, the festival signals ambition in terms of scale and accessibility. The attendance award tied to a $1,000 school prize is a smart community-engagement mechanism, giving principals and teachers a concrete incentive to mobilize families. That kind of school-district partnership, formalized here through CCSD's co-presentation role, is increasingly seen as essential infrastructure for sustaining public science engagement beyond a single enthusiastic cohort of organizers. The festival's stated goal of recruiting more community partners for year 16 suggests organizers are thinking about institutional depth, not just annual programming.

Why it matters

Las Vegas has long been defined by its entertainment economy, which makes sustained investment in STEM education programming both more necessary and more culturally challenging than in cities with large research university presences. A free, district-backed festival that draws families to hands-on science experiences fills a genuine gap. For Southern Nevada's workforce pipeline, events that connect students to robotics, coding, and emerging technologies at an early age carry real long-term economic weight, particularly as the region works to diversify beyond hospitality and gaming.

What’s next

Organizers have confirmed they are already planning the 16th annual Las Vegas Science and Technology Festival and are seeking additional community partners. No dates or venue details for the next edition have been announced. The Giant Expo Attendance Award winner for the 2026 event had not been publicly named in available reporting at the time of publication.

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