The Science Fair makes a return to La Orotava, celebrating its twenty-first edition this Sunday at the Plaza de La Constitución and nearby areas from 10:30 to 18:30. Once again, the town centre will be transformed into the hub of science in the Islands, as the event aims to engage the public in an enjoyable and instructive manner.
Visitors to the Villa this Sunday can partake in mathematical games, scientific and technological workshops, astronomical observations, demonstrations, experiments, lectures, exhibitions, a scientific parade, robotics, planetariums, theatre, and performances including locoscience and musical pneumagia. Research centres and participating businesses will also have stands at the event.
This initiative, part of the Science and Innovation Weeks of the Canary Islands, has established itself as a key event for science dissemination across the Islands for many years, featuring the involvement of prominent research centres from the Archipelago, scientific associations, and foundations. It is organised by the Cienciamanía entity in collaboration with the municipal council, the Cabildo of Tenerife, and the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation, and the Information Society of the Government of the Canary Islands. During the programme’s presentation, the mayor, Francisco Linares (CC), emphasised the growth and advancement of this project, which started as a simple activity a few days long, but has now evolved into a significant initiative that positions the municipality at the forefront of science, while also becoming one of the oldest fairs of its kind in Spain.
Over the past 21 years, approximately 70,000 individuals have participated, and “each edition has been a resounding success,” noted Linares at the event, which was attended by the island’s Minister of Innovation, Research, and Development, Juan José Martínez. He commended the success of this concept, while Juanjo Martín, director of Cienciamanía, has been a driving force for the fair since its inception. Martín also mentioned that, in 2023, the La Orotava Science Fair Award was introduced to acknowledge individuals and organisations that strive to make science accessible to the public and highlight the Islands on an international scale, a pioneering recognition in the Canary Islands. This year marks the second edition of the awards, with three categories and winners already determined: in Research, the award goes to Emilio Cuevas, former director of the Izaña Atmospheric Observatory; in Dissemination, to Edith Padrón, professor of Mathematics at ULL; and in Science Teaching, to Luis Balbuena, a Mathematics teacher.
