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Maryland Stem Festival

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About Us

About Maryland STEM Festival

Inspiring Maryland’s Next Generation of Innovators

Maryland STEM Festival is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to inspiring, engaging, and empowering Marylanders of all ages through free, accessible events celebrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. We bring together schools, libraries, universities, businesses, and community organizations to spark curiosity, expand opportunity, and build a more STEM‑literate Maryland.

Founded in 2015, the Festival was created to make STEM education welcoming, exciting, and inclusive—especially for students who may not otherwise see themselves represented in STEM fields. Today, we host hundreds of events each year across all 24 Maryland counties, reaching tens of thousands of participants  despite being a very small organization with one employee.

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Our Mission

To inspire and cultivate a lifelong interest in STEM by providing free, high‑quality, community‑driven events that celebrate learning, creativity, and innovation across Maryland.

Our Vision

The Festival wants to provide all Marylanders, regardless of background, experience, or location, with the opportunity, confidence, and encouragement to explore STEM and pursue pathways that shape the future.

What Is STEM?

We see STEM in the broadest terms. It includes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, along with fields like robotics, agriculture, architecture, manufacturing, biotechnology, zoology, construction, and cybersecurity.

We Bring The Festival To You

The Festival team works year-round to recruit libraries, museums, public and private schools, colleges, universities, government agencies, and private companies to host STEM experiences across Maryland.

2026 Festival Spotlight

The 2026 Festival will take place October 16 through November 15. For our 12th year, we will celebrate AI as the theme and explore the diverse, changing world of artificial intelligence.

Share Your Event

Do you have an event for the Festival?

Submit your event so Maryland families, students, educators, and STEM partners can find it.

Submit Event
Smiling children interacting with a life-sized R2-D2 robot during a community youth outreach program.

What We Do

Annual Statewide STEM Festival

Our flagship program brings together hundreds of partners each fall to host hands-on activities, demonstrations, workshops, competitions, and talks. These events are free, family-friendly, and designed to make STEM accessible to everyone. The Festival makes a strong effort to reach underserved communities, including those in low-income and rural areas, as well as individuals with disabilities.

This year’s Festival will take place from October 16 to November 15. The theme is Artificial Intelligence. Past themes have included agriculture, energy, STEM entertainment, and space and astronomy.

Year‑Round STEM Programming

We collaborate with schools, libraries, museums, and community groups to offer STEM events throughout the year, expanding access beyond the main festival season. Some such events include the Blue-Collar STEM Conference, Girl Scout Cybersecurity Badge event, and the Lower Shore STEM
Festival.

STEM Career Exploration

We connect students with STEM professionals through panels, mentorship opportunities, and career‑focused events that highlight Maryland’s thriving STEM industries—from biotechnology and cybersecurity to aerospace and engineering. Some of these students have never met a STEM professional besides their health care providers.

Community Partnerships

We work with local organizations, state agencies, and industry leaders to strengthen Maryland’s STEM ecosystem and ensure programming reflects community needs. Learn more about the broader network and organizations we are a part of to see how we collaborate across the state.

Our Impact

  • Hundreds of free STEM events hosted annually
  • Tens of thousands of participants across Maryland
  • Events in all 24 counties and Baltimore City
  • Partnerships with schools, libraries, universities, and STEM employers
  • Programs designed to reach underrepresented and underserved communities

Every event—large or small—helps build confidence, spark imagination, and open doors to future opportunities.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

Maryland STEM Festival is committed to creating welcoming, inclusive, and accessible STEM experiences for all Marylanders. We actively partner with organizations serving underrepresented communities and design programs that reflect the diversity of our state.

A large crowd of community members including children and families celebrating with colorful inflatable tubes on gymnasium bleachers during an event.
Two young boys holding orange model planes created at a youth community event.

Nonprofit Status & Governance

Maryland STEM Festival is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

EIN: 82-3713609
We are committed to transparency and responsible stewardship of our resources.

Get Involved

Whether you’re an educator, parent, student, volunteer, or STEM professional, there are many ways to join the celebration:

Together, we can inspire Maryland’s future innovators!