SPRAOI Festival 2024

The CALMAST team were out in force once again at the SPRAOI Festival in Cathedral Square, Waterford City. Since 2010, they have been a cornerstone of this vibrant three-day August bank holiday weekend celebration. This year marks the thrilling 15th anniversary of CALMAST STEM STREET at SPRAOI! Each year, the team captivate the crowd with interactive experiments, mind-bending puzzles and playful performances, immersing children and adults alike in the fascinating realms of SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, and MATHS.

This year’s activities and games featured the Physics Buskers, led by Paul Nugent, who presented a series of experiments highlighting the scientific wonders found in everyday objects. These experiments included the science of sound, the refraction of light, amazing vibrations, the power of magnification, wave motion and synchrony. 

For our younger audiences, we had captivating acts such as Caroline Ainslie with “The Maths of Bubbles” (always a crowd favourite!) and Joanne Donohoe, one of our ACT creatives, who facilitated art workshops using recycled CD cases. Additionally, there were engaging experiments like Banana DNA isolation, chromatography, and strange science. Visitors also enjoyed various puzzle mats, box puzzles, and a range of maths puzzles and games. 

The CALMAST STEM STREET welcomed approximately 5,000 visitors of all ages, providing an engaging array of puzzles and games for families to enjoy together. The activities were enthusiastically received by SPRAOI attendees, both young and old. One delighted participant remarked, “This is my child’s favorite stall. This year, he specifically asked to visit the science fair first.” 

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to our incredible volunteers from SANOFI, TEVA, and HALEON, as well as students from SETU University for their invaluable assistance to the team throughout the weekend. 

Make sure to keep an eye out for us at SPRAOI 2025 next year, held at the same location during the August bank holiday weekend.