Exhibitor Info

The proposal window for the 2025 Exploration Expo has closed!

(If you have special permission from us, you may still apply)

The Exploration Expo takes place on March 22, 2025 from 10am-4pm as the culminating event of the two-week Atlanta Science Festival. The Piedmont Park event will be a fun filled day of 100 interactive activities and performances that celebrate the excitement of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in Atlanta. This FREE event is open to all, and the primary target audience is families with children aged 8-13.

See below for information about how to submit your proposal to exhibit at the Expo. All Expo exhibits must be designed to engage the public in an interactive, hands-on way with some aspect of science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics. We encourage exhibitors to feature local STEM discoveries, the specific research and innovations coming out of local laboratories, and the science and technology behind Georgia businesses. All content must be family-friendly, safe and appropriate. Science fair or classroom projects by K-12 students are typically not appropriate content. If you are a K-12 student or teacher, please consult with us before submitting an application.

Questions? Contact [email protected].

Exhibit Proposal Process

Most exhibitors should follow the procedure outlined below. Sponsors should also complete the Form, but will not be charged for these items. For Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and Emory University exhibitors: in most cases, your institution will cover your expenses. Contact us if you have questions.

Submit your Exhibit Proposal Form by January 10, 2025. Non-profit organizations are eligible to receive a 15% early-bird discount if your complete proposal is received by November 15, 2024. Please provide enough information so that we fully understand what you will be doing at your booth.
Our committee will review your proposal, request additional information if necessary, and return an acceptance decision to you no later than February 21, 2025, along with an invoice for your final exhibit costs.
You can pay by credit card online, or by mailing a check, by February 21, 2025.
Exhibit space is not guaranteed until payment is received. Once payment is received we will list you as an exhibitor on our website. Timely payment will also allow us to include you on the printed Expo handout and signage.
Parking directions, booth assignments, maps, load-in times and procedures will be emailed to you 1-2 weeks prior to the Expo.

Pricing

All booths consist of a white tent with three side-walls and roof, one 8′ table (30″ wide) with plastic cover, 2 chairs, banner with exhibit title and organization name. As costs continue to increase across the board, we have increased exhibitor prices accordingly. With that said, we never want cost to be a reason an awesome organization cannot join us. Please reach out to us with any questions.

Exhibitor pricing

Non-profit organizations – a small number of additional discounts are available for smaller non-profits
- 10×10′ – nonprofit $700
- 10×20′ – nonprofit $1300
Emerging Businesses (<25 employees)
- 10×10′ – emerging business $1300
- 10×20′ – emerging business $1800
Established Businesses (>25 employees)
- Must become a sponsor to exhibit at Expo and receive additional benefits. See Sponsor page for more information.
Vehicles – $400 (does not include tent/table/chairs/banner – these items are extra)
Extras
- Additional table $25
- Additional chair $5
- Electricity (one 20 AMP outlet) $100
- Water (no charge – but you must bring your own containers to transport water from a central access point)
- Dedicated WiFi is unavailable. There is a public network, but with 25,000 people in the Park, we recommend you set up your own hotspot.

Important Dates

Tips for a Successful Exhibit

Showcasing cool science doesn’t have to be a daunting experience. Creating a fun booth that engages participants in the wonder of science, technology, engineering & mathematics can be easier than you may think. As you put together your exhibit or activity, have a look at the suggestions below to help guide you.

Be prepared

Recruit enough volunteers to staff your booth in shifts, so that no one person gets burned out. Take breaks, visit the other exhibits, get food, or have some down-time away from the chaos of the Expo.
Ensure volunteers overlap shifts so that they can share tips with one another. 2-3 people staffing the booth at any one time will help with explaining and crowd control. Matching outfits for your crew are highly encouraged! Or consider purchasing Atlanta Science Festival t-shirts ahead of time for your crew.
Try to avoid too many handouts. Not only are we trying to be conscious of our planet’s resources and not waste paper, but too many materials can be overwhelming and distracting from the activities.

Know Your Audience

Remember that one of the primary goals of the Atlanta Science Festival is to help make science relevant to everyone. Keep in mind how to make these connections. Use examples and activities from everyday life to help them see how science affects us all. Help the visitors to see how science impacts them.
As you staff your booth, keep in mind that we want to do our best to show that anyone can be a scientist. Representation matters! Try to recruit people from your team who are traditionally under-represented in STEM fields.
If you can, provide participants ways to learn more on their own – provide a QR code to a website to reference later or direct them to your organization’s website. How can they continue to learn more about your topic?
Because we are expecting large numbers of attendees, keep your activities efficient – prepare for each activity to handle at least 3-5 participants at a time. To keep a steady stream of visitors moving throughout the park, your activity should last no more than 5 minutes.
Don’t forget about parents! Engage them in your activity too or have staff available to talk to them while kids are exploring. This gives them the chance to go home and have conversations about what they learned.
To welcome non-English speakers, try to find a presenter who speaks Spanish or another language and we will help advertise your activity as accessible to non-English speakers.

Grab Their Attention

Think carefully about how you can get visitors engaged with your activity immediately.
Allow them to make discoveries on their own. Let visitors touch, feel, explore, and play as you guide them through the science concepts that are being presented. This helps create the scaffold for a personal connection to the topic in your exhibit.
Smile (even if you may be wearing a mask – we see it in your eyes!)!

Keep Them Engaged

Providing hands-on activities and face-to-face interactions are great ways to keep participants interested in your exhibit.
Ask questions of all the visitors. What are they observing? Do they have any guesses on what they think will happen as they experiment? Let their curiosity drive your interactions.
Tell kids and parents what it’s like to be a scientist! Help them to see that science is a great career path.
Have an expert on hand at all times. Let visitors meet a real scientist or engineer!

Sample Exhibits

Sample Exhibit #1

Title: Prosthetics & Orthotics

Description: The Master of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics Program at Georgia Tech hosted a 10’x10’ booth with three different activities. The most popular activity was a guided opportunity to experience having a prosthesis. Participants tried on a pair of walking boots with prosthetic feet mounted on the bottom. As they stood up, the participant experienced the range motion and movement of a prosthetic limb.

Visual Hook: Walking boots, a variety of prosthetics and stimulators.

Take Home Message: Conveyed the science behind a common medical technology, while also showcasing the importance of engineering in the development of prosthetics and orthotics. Attendees tended to stay at this activity for a long time (5-10 minutes) which allowed for rich conversation between volunteers and the entire family.

Sample Exhibit #2

Title: Exploring STEM Through Aviation

Description: Delta Air Lines hosted a 20’x20’ booth with a model engine, landing gear, wind tunnel, and other aviation items. One of the most popular activities was exploring one of the four forces of flight with a wind-tunnel constructed by Delta’s Technical Operations crew specifically for the Expo. The participants were able to see how much weight a wing could lift. Pilots and technical crew were on site to greet visitors and share how they use STEM in their jobs.

Visual Hook: Model engine, landing gear, & wind tunnels. Pilots and technical crew in uniform.

Take Home Message: Showed how early interest in how things work and taking things apart can lead to careers in aviation and engineering.

Photos & Tips

The Expo booths are grouped into color-themed Zones. This is the Invent Zone, sponsored by Georgia Tech.

Most booths are set up side-by-side, sharing a side-wall. All booths come with a banner featuring the exhibit title and organization name. Booths from sponsors receive our special ALEX logo to indicate their sponsorship.

The tent walls are white, so be sure to bring signs, banners, branded material to liven up your booth.

Bring enough supplies to handle the crowds. We may have more than 20,000 people attending the Expo; you can expect to see at least 2500 individuals throughout the day. Be sure to have enough stations for multiple people to engage with you at once, and have 3-4 staff on hand to interact with attendees. Plan shifts and breaks so your volunteers can catch their breaths!

Nov 15
Early-bird Proposal Deadline (for 15% discount)
Jan 10
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Jan 17
All Notifications Sent
Feb 21
Exhibitor Payment Due
Mar 14
Load-in Details Emailed to Exhibitors
Mar 22
Exploration Expo!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I participate as an exhibitor?

You must submit an online application that will be reviewed by our committee – see application process outlined above. Accepted exhibitors will be charged exhibitor fees – see pricing above for nonprofits or for emerging businesses (<25 employees). Larger businesses must become a Festival sponsor (levels begin at $5000) in order to exhibit. There is no fee for vehicles. The deadline for exhibit/performance proposals is January 10, 2025. Early-bird registration provides a 15% discount on current pricing and closes November 15, 2024. We strongly advise, as space is limited, that you sign up as soon as possible to guarantee your spot and your activity.

What is included in my exhibit space?

The exhibit space includes a 10’x10′ tent with back and side walls, one 8′ table with plastic cover (not a floor-length drape), two chairs, and a banner with the name of your activity and organization. Additional chairs, tables, access to electricity and water is available for purchase in advance when completing your exhibit payment. See pricing information above.

What should my exhibit activity include?

All exhibits should include STEM activities that are interactive, simple and efficient. The best exhibits are typically those that have a clear take-home message. Activities must be designed to engage the public in an interactive, hands-on way with some aspect of science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics. We encourage exhibitors to feature local STEM discoveries, the specific research and innovations coming out of local laboratories, and the science and technology behind Georgia businesses. We expect that exhibit booths will provide opportunities for the public to engage with STEM professionals, so we discourage K-12 groups from becoming exhibitors. If you are a K-12 group, please consult with us prior to applying. All content must be family-friendly, safe and appropriate. Qualified exhibitor personnel must be present at the exhibit at all times during the hours of the Expo. See our Tips for a Successful Exhibit tab above for additional guidance, and some sample exhibits.

What if another group has a similar activity?

Science ATL staff will work with all exhibitors to prevent potential overlaps. The more detail we know about your plans, the easier it will be to avoid repeating the same activity.

How many people can I expect to see?

In the past, our typical crowd size is 20,000-30,000. Regardless of crowd size, we will assure proper safety measures are in place (see COVID-19 safety measures tab). To be fully prepared for the highest number of attendees, when preparing for the event, please plan to serve a large audience, including adequate staffing (including setup and breakdown crews) and materials for at least 2500 visitors to your booth.

Where do I park?

Exhibitors will receive load-in and load-out instructions 1-2 weeks prior to the event. You will be assigned a time to drop your supplies off at your tent and then move your vehicle. We will provide some suggested parking options in the area, but there is no designated parking lot for exhibitors. We encourage you to plan carefully with your team and limit the number of vehicles on site. Thank you for your understanding.

Can I sell items at my booth?

Typically, merchandise sales are not allowed. Please contact [email protected] with the subject line VENDOR ALLOWANCE if you would like to make a case for an exception.

Are there restrictions on what kind of marketing materials/giveaways I can bring?

Please resist handing out paper or items with plastic packaging as much as possible. Additionally, do not place your materials outside of the booth and do not leave your materials unattended.

What if it rains or the weather gets out of control?

This event will occur rain or shine. In case of dangerous, severe weather, we will announce any alternate plans 48 hours in advance of the event. Please check atlantasciencefestival.org for more details the week of the event.

Exhibitor Info

The proposal window for the 2025 Exploration Expo has closed!

Nov 15

Jan 10

Jan 17

Feb 21

Mar 14

Mar 22

Frequently Asked Questions

Exhibit Proposal Form

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