The UK’s biggest STEM celebration for young people returns from 9 to 11 June 2026, to inspire and excite young people with careers in science, engineering and technology.
Taking place at the NEC in Birmingham, the ever-popular free event is the perfect opportunity for teachers to show their class that a career in STEM is for everyone.
Students will be introduced to exciting STEM careers with hands-on activities, Q&A panels, diverse role models, and incredible live shows. Top organisations from across the STEM sector, as well as other industries where STEM skills are vital, will be running exciting interactive activities. Live stages shows will include a biomimicry show with real animals from ZooLab and a Flight to the future show from the University of Wolverhampton.
Phillip McShane, Associate Director of Engagement Projects at EUK Education comments:
“We can’t wait to welcome students and their teachers to The Big Bang Fair 2026! We have a really exciting line-up this year with a great range of companies showcasing jobs from their sector. It’s a brilliant opportunity to get students out of the classroom and connecting with real-world STEM experiences and diverse role models. Our aim is for young people from all backgrounds to discover the magic of STEM and raise their aspirations for these careers.”
Also taking place at The Fair, will be The Big Bang Competition showcase and spectacular awards ceremony on 9 June. Winners will be crowned, including the prestigious UK Young Scientist, UK Young Engineer and UK Young Technologist of the year!
Last year, The Big Bang Fair 2025 welcomed more than 20,000 young people and 2,100 educators from across the UK. After attending, 79% of students said they felt more confident they could do a STEM job in the future.
The Big Bang Fair 2026 is open to year 6 to year 8 (England and Wales), P7 to S2 (Scotland) and year 7 to year 9 (Northern Ireland). All hands-on activities, shows and workshops have been specifically created for this age group. Schools can explore The Fair in a morning session (9am to 12pm) or afternoon session (1pm to 4pm) on Tuesday 9 June to Thursday 11 June.
Find out more about The Big Bang Fair 2026 and book your free tickets.
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About EngineeringUK
EngineeringUK is a not-for-profit organisation that drives change so more young people choose engineering and technology careers. Our mission is to enable more young people from all backgrounds to be inspired, informed and progress into engineering and technology.
We work closely with our Corporate Members and in partnership with hundreds of organisations. We lead collaborative efforts to improve the impact of all engineering and tech inspiration and careers activities for young people through Tomorrow’s Engineers and managing The Tomorrow’s Engineers Code.
We ignite a passion for STEM among young people from all backgrounds through EUK Education and our school engagement programmes such as The Big Bang. Our careers resources help teachers bring STEM to life through real-world engineering and tech stories via Neon.
Our research and evidence build insight into the current workforce and our future needs. And our evaluations build understanding of what really works to inspire and inform the next generation. We also advocate for policy development in STEM and careers education and workforce planning for engineering and tech.
