The 2026 Wisconsin Science Festival will be held Oct. 15-25. This year, the festival is highlighting us. The science of who we are, a celebration of the brain and body, our place in the universe, and the discoveries and scientists that shape our shared wellbeing. Science is human work and every curious mind belongs.

Events will be held throughout the state, and a full list of events can be found on the Wisconsin Science Festival website.

Below are events featuring CALS-affiliated faculty, staff and students:

Pre-festival event: Badgers on Tap – Birding at the Rigby
Saturday, October 10, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Rigby Pub, 119 East Main Street, Madison, WI
Join Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance Director Brenna Marsicek, Professor Anna Pidgeon, and student Zoe Ramstack as they discuss birding. Enjoy drinks, bingo, trivia, and fun prizes at this Badgers on Tap event.

Pre-festival event: Fearless Science Forum – How do scientists know what they know
Tuesday, October 13, 4:00–5:00 p.m.
Discovery Building, 330 N Orchard St, Madison, WI
How do scientists know what they know? In an era of competition for attention filled with rapid discoveries, seemingly incredible claims and conflicting headlines, understanding the path from a lab theory to an established fact is more vital than ever. Join Morgridge CEO Brad Schwartz, national leader in science policy Keith Yamamoto, Director of the Morgridge Institute’s Rowe Center for Virology, Paul Ahlquist, and Morgridge Institute Investigator, Melissa Skala as they peel back the curtain on the scientific method. The live and on-line session will conclude with an audience Q&A, giving you the chance to ask your most pressing questions directly to our experts. A virtual broadcast via Zoom will also be available.

Science on the Square: Wisconsin Cheese Mart & UW-Madison Biochemistry
Thursday, October 15, 5:00–9:00 p.m.
Wisconsin Cheese Mart, 119 State St, Madison, WI
Wisconsin Cheese Mart and UW-Madison Biochemistry present: Digesting Dairy. Browse Wisconsin’s largest selection of cheese and learn all about the enzymes that help us digest dairy with UW-Madison’s Biochemistry department. This event takes place as part of the Science on the Square Madison Night Market Fusion event.

Science on the Square: Sencha Tea Bar & UW-Madison Soil & Environmental Sciences
Thursday, October 15, 5:00–9:00 p.m.
Sencha Tea Bar, 224 State St, Madison, WI
Sencha Tea Bar & UW-Madison Soil & Environmental Sciences present: Soil Organisms – From Micro to Macro. UW-Madison’s Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences will have three activities for attendees to try, including hands-on compost digging to see worms and using a microscope to check out some soil critters. This will be available in addition to Sencha’s delicious line-up of teas and treats. This event takes place as part of the Science on the Square Madison Night Market Fusion event.

Words with Nerds
Thursday, October 15, 7:00–8:30 p.m.
Crucible, 3116 Commercial Ave, Madison, WI
Join us during the Wisconsin Science Festival for a special edition of Words with Nerds, an infotainment event that’s like a PowerPoint party mixed with stand-up comedy. Think TED Talks, but way funnier. Prepare to be regaled by presentations on entomology, an Iranian perspective on the war in Iran, and more with Anupreksha Jain, Sarah Adelman, and Dr. Sepehr Vakil PhD. Tickets are $15 advance, $20 DOS. It is recommended to purchase tickets online in order to guarantee seating. Group discounts available online.

3rd Annual Wisconsin Weather Festival
Saturday, October 17, 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Wisconsin Energy Institute, 1552 University Ave, Madison, WI
Get ready to talk precipitation, predictability, and everything in between. The 3rd Annual Wisconsin Weather Festival brings the fascinating, unpredictable world of weather right to your fingertips. Whether you are a certified weather geek, a curious kid, or someone who simply checks their phone app three times a day to see if they need an umbrella, this free, family-friendly event pulls back the curtain on how we track, forecast, and understand the elements shaping our state. Unleash your inner meteorologist with those who study, predict, and measure Wisconsin’s weather, including local broadcast meteorologists, the Wisconsin State Climatology Office, the National Weather Service, Wisconet, Space Science and Engineering Center, students from UW Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Department, and more. This event is part of the UW-Madison Campus Open House.

D.C. Smith Greenhouse Open House
October 19-23, 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
D.C. Smith Greenhouse, 465 Babcock Dr, Madison, WI
Explore the D.C. Smith Greenhouse where university students learn about plants and how to grow them. The greenhouses are open to the public weekdays from 7:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Displays include hydroponics, tropical plants and a 1,000 square foot conservatory.

Badger Talk – Creatures of the Night: Bed Bugs
Thursday, October 22, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Blanchardville Public Library, 208 Mason St, Blanchardville, WI
Once a creature of nursery rhymes, bed bugs have reemerged around the US over the last decades. This talk will discuss the biology of bed bugs, their history, precautions for travelers, and bed bug management in contemporary times. PJ Liesch is a statewide entomology specialist and director of the University of Wisconsin Insect Diagnostic Lab (IDL). Every year, the IDL handles over 2,400 insect identification requests from Wisconsin’s farmers, private industry, university and government agencies, the general public, and other groups. PJ also provides entomology-related outreach throughout the state, including regular appearances on Wisconsin Public Radio. This is a free, in-person talk hosted by Blanchardville Public Library. No registration required. This talk will not be available virtually.