The Wales & West Spacefest is an annual public exhibition about space and astronomy in Wales and the West of England involving space businesses, not-for-profit organisations, and amateur astronomical societies. The purpose is to show young people, families and the public in general how close space is and how to get involved whether as an interest or becoming a STEM professional. Spacefest is seeking companies and industry bodies to become exhibitors in the 2027 Wales & West Spacefest. They can express their interest at https://spacefest.uk/become-an-exhibitor/. It is a great opportunity for public engagement and STEM outreach whether helping Key Stage 2 students see STEM as a future career or increasing awareness of the amazing things you do.
The exhibition is situated within the Concorde Hangar, beside the iconic aircraft, at Aerospace Bristol, Bristol, BS34 5BZ. It is intended to be a space to ‘play’ and explore the various facets of space and astronomy from the science, the UK’s legacy, the application of engineering today and in future, and the wonder of it all. There is also a programme of speakers in the auditorium throughout the day to give deeper dives into subject matter. The morning theme will be “exploring the Solar System” and the afternoon theme will be “is there life out there?”
The Wales & West Spacefest 2027 will take place on Saturday 6th March 2027 at Aerospace Bristol and runs from 09:30 until 17:00. There is no fee for exhibitors displaying stands within the Concorde Hangar. The unit area for exhibitors will be 3m by 3m but multiples or different sizes can be requested. Requirements will be collated by January 2027 such as tables, mains power and height clearance (if applicable) and the exhibition organisers will look to deliver these and confirm in February. Exhibitors will be listed on https://spacefest.uk/exhibitors/ as they express interest and confirm attendance.
During the inaugural Spacefest 2026, there were nearly 800 visitors to Aerospace Bristol. For 2027, the promotion activities are being targeted to achieve 1,500 visitors comprising families with Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 3 children, those with an interest in photography, and those with an interest in stargazing, cosmology or space exploration. The exhibition is organised by a team from Bath Astronomers, Bristol Astronomical Society, and Cardiff Astronomical Society and in partnership with Aerospace Bristol.
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Image credits: John Henn