JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Hundreds of residents and visitors will have a chance to get their hands on science this weekend as part of 4th annual community WILD Fest, sponsored by Jackson Hole WILD.
More than 30 local, regional, and national science partners will be participating in the free weekend of family-friendly activities and films celebrating science, nature and media, all taking place at the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts.
WILD Science Day will give attendees the opportunity to experience hands-on activities representing the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics fields (STEAM). Festival attendees will dig real fossils, interact with robots, demo cutting-edge prosthetic hand technology, gaze at stars in an inflatable planetarium, experience virtual reality, create 3-D doodle art, and learn about NASA exploration ground systems.
Hungry science fans will be able to taste samples of Entosense edible insects like black ants, crickets, silk worms, meal worms and crickets…. And then festival goers can fill up on more traditional fare from Little Red Cafe and Rosa’s Tamales, who will be selling tasty treats.
The day before the free Saturday event, approximately 1,300 elementary and middle school children from Teton and Fremont counties are treated to a sneak peek of the festival during organized school trips. With much to see and do—but only a limited amount of time on their field trips—students often come back on Saturday with their parents.
“WILD Fest aims to share the importance of science, conservation and culture with kids of all ages by showing them how it impacts their everyday lives,” said Carly McKay, science festival coordinator for Jackson Hole WILD. “We are lucky to have so many inspiring people and organizations who are willing to share their passions for science, nature and art with the community.”
Bookending the WILD Science Day are three special film presentations, with SPACE NIGHT capping off the weekend.
Friday, Oct. 5, at 7pm. This special event is in conjunction with WyomingPBS and will include a live Native American drum and dance group performance by students from the Arapahoe schools on the Wind River Reservation.
- “Backyard Wilderness,” on Saturday, Oct. 6, at 4pm. Proving that Wi-Fi isn’t the only connection that matters, the film surprises and entertains viewers with the unexpected wonders of nature that are right under our noses—in our own backyards.
- “The Farthest: Voyager in Space” and the short “A New View of the Moon” will highlight WILD Fest Space Night on Saturday, Oct. 6, at 7pm. Following the film will be an opportunity to visit NASA’s ground exploration systems exhibit and to view the stars with Wyoming Stargazing.
All WILD Fest activities are free, family-friendly and take place at the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts at 265 S. Cache St. in downtown Jackson.
WILD Science Day takes place from 11am to 4pm on Saturday, Oct. 6.
