Please select the appropriate category below to help plan your visit to Lancashire Science Festival 2018.
If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for then get in touch with the festival team at lancscifest@uclan.ac.uk or 01772 894288.
This section will help you to find answers to general queries about our Family Day on Saturday 29 June.
All activities or shows have been given a recommended lower age suitability based on a number of factors including content, language, the imagery used and prior knowledge required to fully enjoy the event.
All events carry a minimum age recommendation to ensure the best possible experience for all our visitors. This is based on a number of factors including content, language, the imagery used and prior knowledge required. We ask visitors to bear this in mind when choosing activities. All children should be accompanied by an adult at all times.
U Will have something for all ages. There may be some technical aspects for older audiences but still lots of exciting fun for younger children to enjoy.
4 + Best for children of at least school age. Lots of fun stuff with little prior knowledge needed.
7 + Fun and engaging activities or shows but the content or challenges may be too stretching for younger children.
Over 7s only These workshops can only admit children over 7 years due to health and safety. Please do not book these sessions for children that will not be over 7 at the time of the event.
11 + These are intended for older children as ideas may be too challenging for primary school level or contain material not suitable for younger children.
18+ Strictly adults only. These shows either include content not suitable for children, involve alcohol or take place in licensed venues where under 18s cannot be admitted.
Please contact us if you require any further information about individual events
Lancashire Science Festival is hosted by the University of Central Lancashire and is based on the Preston Campus.
Follow signs for the University or the yellow AA signage for Lancashire Science Festival. The campus is easily accessible by road, rail and bus.
If you are using a sat nav please use PR1 2HE. Upon arriving please head to the Students Union to check-in.
Parking is available free of charge on all University car parks and there are disabled parking spaces on every car park.
View a map of the Preston City Campus (opens as PDF document)
Car parking is free of charge across all the University’s car parks for the duration of Lancashire Science Festival. Please ignore the pay and display machines or ‘permit holder only’ signs. There are disabled parking spaces on each car park. Please keep these free if you are not a blue badge holder.
Although car parking at the University of Central Lancashire is free, it will fill up rather quickly on the day. Please see below list of alternative car parks in the local area, which are within walking distance.
Market Hall Car Park, Tenterfield Street, Preston, PR1 2JD
Hill Street Car Park, Hill Street, Preston, PR1 2BB
Trinity Square Car Park, Market Street West, Preston, PR1 2EU
Avenham Car Park, 35 Avenham Street, Preston, PR1 3XA
Walker Street Car Park, North Street, Preston, PR1 2HF
Preston Bus Station Car Park, Tithebarn Street, Preston, PR1 1YT
Euro Car Park, St. Wilfrid Street, Preston, PR1 2US
OCS, St. Mary’s, Marsh Lane, Preston, PR1 2XH
Check out the Traveline Journey Planner to find alternative ways to access the festival.
The festival will be open from 9.00am – 5.00pm.
Please note that check-in and the Science Showfloors close at 4.00pm.
For 2019 we will be running an on-the-day queueing system for all our shows. So there will be no need to book tickets online in advance.
Simply arrive at the venue of your chosen show in good time before the advertised start time and you will be given a queue number.
Please note that our workshops, which have a much smaller capacity, must be pre-booked in advance for a small fee of £1. The fee will be donated to Derian House.
During our Family Day we will again be running our popular programme of workshops. This year you will be able to pre-book these for a small fee of £1 per person which will be donated to the Derian House.
Workshops have a much smaller capacity than our live shows.
By introducing a small fee we hope to ensure that everyone who has booked a place turns up. We hope this will avoid us having to turn visitors away and disappoint them when workshops are full to capacity.
Quiet room
For groups or individuals with special requirements we have a designated quiet room away from the noise and crowds. The quiet room is located on the second floor in Harrington Building, room 214.
View a map of the Preston Campus (opens as PDF document)
Please contact us if you require further information about access to the venue.
Yes. The University of Central Lancashire is fully wheelchair accessible throughout.
If you wish to attend any of our shows or sessions and require seating with a space for a wheelchair, other mobility aid or pram, please inform the Festival Ambassador on arrival at the session and they will reserve seating for you and your group.
Great value refreshments and meals will be available in the cafeteria in Harrington Building, Foster Building and the Atrium throughout the day. A typical meal for a family of four should cost around £10. Food vendors will be available on the festival site. These are identifiable on our festival map. The festival map will be available on our website from May.
Say hello to our Festival Ambassadors, who will be wearing our bright yellow Lancashire Science Festival t-shirts. Our Ambassadors will be available to answer your questions, recommend sessions and point out places around the festival.
There are lockers available by the Science Showfloor, in Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre. The locker requires a £1 coin, which is returned after use.
Toilet facilities are located in every University building on the ground floor (and upper floors if necessary).
Baby changing facilities are available in the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre, just outside the Science Showfloor on the ground floor.
There is also a baby changing facility available by the Venue 53 entrance in the First Aid room.
If you are near the check-in point please head straight there or to one the Science Showfloors.
For all other locations please alert any of the Festival Ambassadors wearing yellow t-shirts.
In an emergency please call Security on 01772 892068, who will then alert the emergency services if necessary.
If you are near the check-in point please head straight there, or to one of the Science Showfloors.
For all other locations please alert any of the Festival Ambassadors wearing yellow t-shirts.
In an emergency please call Security on 01772 892068, who will then alert the emergency services if necessary.
Don’t forget to visit one of our festival shops to purchase some great value souvenirs, from ‘Future Scientist’ t-shirts to magnets. You can locate the shops on either of our Science Showfloors.
Yes! Home educated families who attend on the Family Day on Saturday 29 June are able to book Explorer Passes for the festival.
Contact us to find out how you can obtain an Explorer Pass.
Smile – you’re on camera! Please be aware that throughout the duration of the event there will be official event photography/filming taking place for marketing and promotional purposes.
These images/footage may be used in both online and offline publications, public relations and advertising (such as social media, brochures, information leaflets, adverts, posters and other formats) for the promotion of the University and of University courses at its partner institutions.
If, for whatever reason, you or a member of your group does not wish to be photographed, please make yourself known at one of the event help desks on arrival or speak to the photographer in that area, we will issue you a ‘no media permission’ paper wristband.
The festival team would love to see all your awesome festival photos! The more exciting the better!
Share them on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #LancSciFest and tag us at @lancscifest for a chance to win a prize*. All visitors, staff and students can enter.
The photo which we feel sums up the festival best will win. The deadline for entries is Monday 15 July 2019 and the winner will be announced on Twitter by @lancscifest on or before Monday 22 July 2019.
*Prize to be confirmed
To log on select ‘UCLan-Open’ and sign in using your email address. Share your conversations, photos and videos with #LancSciFest
Please note that this is an unfiltered wi-fi service.
This section will help you to find answers to questions about our Schools Programme which runs on Thursday 27 June and Friday 28 June.
To book your school group’s visit please:
Once you have completed your booking you will receive an automatic receipt via email and you will then be contacted by the Lancashire Science Festival team with further information about your visit in due course.
Packages are based on group sizes of either 20 or 35, which is to include both staff and students. This is the maximum number that can be accommodated in this package, although it is possible to book these if your numbers are slightly less.
Some packages will have multiple iterations, meaning that you may be able to book more than one of the same package if your group size is larger than 35.
To ensure that as many schools as possible are able to visit Lancashire Science Festival we ask that no school bring a group (including staff) of more than approximately 70. Schools who book for more than 70 visitors will have their package cancelled.
You are welcome to bring up to a maximum group size of approximately 70 (including pupils and staff). To do this you will need to book more than one package.
It may be possible to book more than one of the same package (in which case your group will be able to stay together) or you may have to book more than one different package (in which case your group will have to split).
Depending on the number in your group, you will need to book the packages that fit your total group size as closely as possible. For example:
Please contact us if you have any difficulties booking your place.
Lancashire Science Festival is hosted by the University of Central Lancashire and is based on the Preston City Campus.
On Thursday 27 June and Friday 28 June Lancashire Science Festival is open to primary school children at Key Stage 2 only.
For 2019 we are offering arrival times to the festival of either 9.00am-9.30am, or 9.30am-10.00am. It is strongly recommended that you try and arrive between 9.00am-9.30am as this will allow you to fit the most into your day.
There will be a limited number of packages available to accommodate an arrival time of 9.30am-10.00am. If you are expecting to arrive closer to 10.00am then we recommend that you book one of our ‘Extended Showfloor’ packages if available.
To fit in as much as possible into your day, and ensure you see as much as the festival as you can, it is important you arrive promptly. Your school’s programme is tight. Arriving late could mean you miss out on seeing your first session, and this will have an impact on the rest of your day at the festival.
Once your group has arrived it will take approximately 20 minutes to get your group registered.
Yes. Please remember to bring a packed lunch with you. It is strongly recommended that each student carries their own packed lunch in a backpack. Please note that University cafeterias will NOT be open and there will be no time to leave the University to get food.
Rather than having a set lunch break, to ensure that you can fit as much as possible into your day, you will be having a fun ‘Lunchtime Session’ where your group will be able to eat your lunch whilst enjoying one of our exciting shows. A recommendation for your ‘Lunchtime Session’ will be made in your programme, although you are free to eat lunch during whichever session you prefer.
The University of Central Lancashire is fully wheelchair accessible.
If you wish to attend any of our shows or sessions and require seating with a space for a wheelchair, other mobility aid or pram, please inform the Festival Ambassador on arrival at the session and they will reserve seating for you and your group. Please contact the festival team if you require any further information.
If you require a BSL interpreter or have any other special requirements please contact us prior to the festival to arrange necessary support.
For groups or individuals with special requirements, we have a designated quiet room away from the noise and crowds. The quiet room is Harrington Building, second floor, room 214.
If you would like to know more about this, please ask one of the Festival Ambassadors or contact us prior to the festival.
We have a Lancashire Science Festival Shop, where students can purchase souvenirs to remember their special visit. Most items are priced at 50p-£1 each. If you would like your group to visit the shop, please ask your students to bring some spending money with them.
Toilet facilities are located in every University building on the ground floor, and on all other floors of the buildings if required.
If you have lost a student please inform your Festival Ambassador straight away, who will then get in touch with the festival team.
We will send out our overall general festival risk assessment to schools before they arrive, although we do advise schools to complete their own too.
Teachers are welcome to do a site visit before the festival to complete risk assessments. If this is something you would be interested in please email the team and we will send over directions and book you a car parking space.
Please note: we will not be able to facilitate this visit.
Minibuses can drop off and park on the University’s Fylde Road Car Park, Preston, PR1 2XN.
You will be met on the car park by your Festival Ambassador, so please do not leave the car park until this has occurred.
Instead of visiting on the school days where the event is geared up for large sized school groups, we are running Explorer Passes for the Family Day on Saturday 29 June.
The Explorer Passes are exclusively for home educated families. To allow your family the best experience possible we recommend joining us on the Family Day.
However, if our school days on Thursday 27 June and Friday 28 June are your preferred option we will be offering programmes to pre-organised groups of 20+ who, once they have booked as a single group, will be assigned a Student Ambassador as guide for the day.
Please contact the festival team if you would like to sign up for an Explorer Pass.
Smile – you’re on camera! Please be aware that throughout the duration of the event there will be official event photography/filming taking place for marketing and promotional purposes.
These images/footage may be used in both online and offline publications, public relations and advertising (such as social media, brochures, information leaflets, adverts, posters and other formats) for the promotion of the University and of University courses at its partner institutions.
If any of your pupils do not wish to be included in these, please make sure your festival ambassador aware of this upon arrival and ‘no media permissions’ paper wristbands will be distributed to ensure professional photographers can identify which students don’t have permissions.
To log on select ‘UCLan-Open’ and sign in using your email address. Share your conversations, photos and videos with #LancSciFest.
The Lancashire Science Festival is a community event organised and hosted by the University of Central Lancashire’s Communications and Engagement team.
Follow us on Twitter for updates @LancSciFest
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