Is there anything more important in parenting than the joy of connecting with your children? Perhaps only shared work, learning, and helping your kids socialize in this complicated world. Houston annually hosts an event that combines all these factors into one family celebration: the Energy Day Houston Festival. We cover it in detail at houstonski.
Festival Idea and Concept
This major science and education festival takes place every October. The idea to host a science festival first came about in 2011 from the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), an organization focused on issues of energy education and access to clean, safe energy. Houston is known for hosting the headquarters of many leading global companies. Thus, the world’s energy capital was bound to eventually organize a festival of this kind and become a platform for such events. The organizing committee decided at its first meeting that the festival must be free and accessible to all age groups. All funds for the event would come from sponsors—namely, energy companies.
The goal of the event was to popularize science and encourage kids to pursue STEM education. A group of experts from various scientific fields developed the festival program. The final result was meant to be a citywide family event featuring diverse pavilions with experimental stations, interactive games, exhibits, and demonstrations of inventions in action.
The preferred location for the family celebration of science and fun was Sam Houston Park, a favorite spot for many Houston residents. Students and faculty from local universities were recruited to work, and they graciously agreed to volunteer to help run the festival.
A Variety of Creative Platforms
The first Energy Day Houston Festival kicked off on a Saturday morning in October 2011. There were only a few interactive locations available to young visitors and their parents, but they were already packed with children from the very start.
Today, the festival showcases its offerings across 50 different stations. STEM platforms are consistently among the most popular spots. Here, under the guidance of volunteers, visitors can independently build a robot, a mobile model, or even a rocket—and then launch it.
Other festival locations are always buzzing with activity too.
The Magic of Solar Energy
In this pavilion, visitors can learn about the principle of using solar energy to power everyday gadgets. After an educational tour and a demonstration of the sun’s energy capabilities, everyone interested can try their hand at modeling solar panels and visually confirm the marvelous transformation of light into energy. It’s captivating and allows you to see real magic.
Experiments with Gas
Visiting this station allows you to see gas turn into liquid and vice versa. While this phenomenon is familiar to high school students from physics and chemistry classes, it’s the visualization of a true miracle for younger children. Equally fascinating is the show involving the transformation of any object into ice, whether it’s an ordinary cracker or a freshly picked flower.
Fun Chemistry
Learning about scientific principles doesn’t have to mean sitting behind a mountain of books; you can do it in a fun and relaxed way. In the “Slime Lab” pavilion, you can discover many fascinating facts about chemistry and create your very own sticky, elastic, or unstoppable masterpiece.
Wind Energy
Renewable energy sources are increasingly drawing the attention of scientists worldwide. It’s no surprise that the science festival features a place where you can learn about developments in this field and see firsthand how wind is used to generate clean energy. Here, under the guidance of experts, you can even try to build your own wind turbine and generate your first batch of energy. The hardest part of this process at the Energy Day Houston Festival is catching the wind.
Become a Geologist
You can delve into the world of oil and gas, learn about rock formations, and temporarily become a geologist by visiting this location. This pavilion will help you experience what it’s like to drill in different geological conditions and share the joy felt by those who strike oil.
STEM and Sports
High school students love visiting this area, as it hosts a thrilling duel or sports competition. Teams formed by local school students prepare robots in advance to compete in soccer, tennis, or basketball during the festival. It’s a truly exciting spectacle, making this the noisiest location where fans get more worked up than the tournament participants themselves.
More Than Just Fun and Games
In addition to the main activities, which involve conveying modern achievements and demonstrating the importance of knowledge in an engaging, non-intrusive, and playful way, the organizers also hold an award ceremony for youth achievements in the energy sector. Students are rewarded with scholarships for innovative developments. This greatly stimulates young scientists and also provides an opportunity to showcase their skills to representatives of the companies that sponsor and support the festival.
These sponsors, incidentally, include global giants such as Shell, Chevron, BP, Caterpillar, TechnipFMC, and Phillips, as well as NASA and many others. Between 2011 and 2021, over ten years, $163,000 was spent on recognizing the best achievements in STEM education and energy startups. Over 2,000 K-12 students and teachers received these scholarships through the Energy Day Academic Program.
Attendance, COVID, and Environmental Criticism
The Energy Day Houston Festival annually gathers over 20,000 attendees, and this number grows every year. The exception was 2020, when the festival was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the event was held the following year despite quarantine restrictions. It was partially moved online, but the Energy Day festival could still be attended in its usual spot at Sam Houston Park, with all safety rules observed.
Despite the festival’s success and the eagerness of children to attend, the event has attracted critics. Some activists accuse the organizing companies of using Energy Day Houston Festival to boost their public image amid the negative environmental impact of their operations. There have been instances where protesters gathered with signs directly during the celebration, opposing industrial pollution and the perceived insufficient focus on alternative energy. Yet, despite these calls, the festival continues to exist and delight children with natural wonders and new developments.
Significance for Houston
The Energy Day Houston Festival plays a crucial role in promoting STEM education among children and teenagers and underscores Houston’s role as a global energy hub. It’s a great event that not only popularizes knowledge and encourages family bonding but also engages in the selection of future specialists who will seek solutions and develop innovative projects in the energy sector. Thus, the importance of such festivals cannot be overstated.