SciFest 2026 is a free event open to everyone. The program will mainly take place at Educa on the University of Eastern Finland campus (Tulliportinkatu 1, 80130 Joensuu). Admission to SciFest is free throughout the event!
On Saturday, all workshops will run non-stop, and no reservations are required. Shows at the planetarium and Hurja-Harri’s science show as follows:
Planetarium: 11:00, 12:00
Science Show: 11:00, 12:00, 14:00
- Thursday, April 23: Workshops open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Friday, April 24: Workshops open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Saturday, April 25 Workshops open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Workshops
You can reserve the workshop places in advance in the SciFest reservation system!
Hurja Harri's Science Show
An interactive science show exploring energy and mechanics. What on earth is Taikarulla-Tane? How do airplanes fly? Come and find out! The show lasts about 40 minutes. The program is presented by Finland’s first science centre—Tietomaa Science Centre.
Workshop organizer: Tiedekeskus Tietomaa
A journey through time in Joensuu
Join us on a journey through Joensuu’s history!
In this workshop, we’ll travel along a timeline through the decades, from the industrial revolution to the present day. The workshop focuses particularly on young people’s perspectives, exploring topics related to Joensuu’s history. What was daily life like in the early days of urbanization compared to today? And how can young people themselves influence the building of a sustainable future through their own choices? In what ways has our immediate environment changed, and what kinds of societal structural changes are behind these changes? How has human activity affected the surrounding nature?
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopisto, aineenopettajaopiskelijat
The pharmacy's locked doors – come and uncover the secret behind the cryptic prescription
Welcome to the virtual pharmacy, where a mystery awaits you! The letters in the prescription written by Dr. Sykerö have been jumbled up. Your task is to figure out what he meant.
In this escape game, participants step into the role of a pharmacist and solve a series of interconnected tasks. Each solved task unlocks the next — and only when all locks are opened can the medicine be dispensed to the customer.
Pharmacists are experts in medications. They dispense medicines to customers based on prescriptions, ensure the suitability of over-the-counter medicines, and advise on the proper use of them.
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopisto
Make your own robot
In this workshop, you’ll get to build AI-controlled robots in groups of 3–4 people. The workshop is suitable for all craft enthusiasts, but we recommend that younger participants be accompanied by a guardian or assistant, as the robots are built using cardboard, scissors, and hot glue. The estimated duration of the workshop is one and a half hours, but participants are welcome to continue building even after that.
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopisto, tietojenkäsittelytieteen laitos
Car Race
Is your team ready to build the coolest race car at Scifest? Join us for a fast-paced workshop where you’ll get to design and build your own race car as a team! You’ll have a variety of materials at your disposal—it’s all about creativity and ingenuity! Once the cars are ready, we’ll hold an exciting race where the cars hit the track. The car that goes the farthest wins!
What’s in store?
- Come test your ideas and see how far your car can go!
- Fun activities and building Designing and building your own race car in groups of 3–4 students
- An exciting race on the track
- A prize for the car that goes the farthest
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopiston Rantakylän koulun syventävän harjoittelun opiskelijat
Soil respiration
The workshop explores the carbon cycle on Earth and discusses how it relates to climate change. Students will conduct a soil respiration experiment using CO2 sensors and soil samples, and learn to estimate the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from various sources over different time periods using simplified calculations.
Workshop organizer: Eco2adapt -hanke
DART Rubber-Powered Glider
In the workshop, participants will build a traditional BMFA Dart rubber-powered model airplane. The main materials used are balsa wood and tissue paper. The workshop is expected to last approximately 2 hours. After assembly and a test flight, you can take the finished model home with you. The Dart is the world’s most widely built rubber-powered model airplane, and Darts have been built at SciFest almost every year. It flies well and is also easy to repair in case of damage.
Workshop organizer: Erkko Saviaro
The use of doping in sports
Would you like to know what doping is and how it manifests in sports? Would you like to take this opportunity to explore a taboo subject that isn’t often discussed in public? In this workshop, you’ll learn about doping as a phenomenon and its history. The program includes a concise yet comprehensive introductory session that covers the history of doping through case studies, as well as its biological and health effects. The introduction is followed by a quiz where participants compete in small groups in a lighthearted manner. There will also be small prizes for the top performers!
Workshop organizer: Tulliportin normaalikoulu
ENDGAME
Do you know how AI is being used in social media? Put your knowledge to the test by playing a mobile escape room. In this game you will have to stop misinformation from spreading online by identifying bot accounts and learning how AI works and when it is okay to use it.
As part of the ENDGAME project, we present an interactive mobile escape room designed to help young students explore how artificial intelligence is used in social media. Through this activity, students engage with realistic scenarios where they must identify bot accounts, understand how AI-driven systems operate, and recognize the mechanisms behind the spread of misinformation.
Are you a teacher interested in creating your own educational escape rooms? Learn more about the Escapp platform, developed as part of the IGLUE-Erasmus+ project, which enables educators to design and implement their own interactive escape rooms.
Workshop organizer: ENDGAME project / University of Eastern Finland, School of Computing
The Breakable Machine - Can You Fool the AI?
Are you a criminal or a police officer? Or perhaps a doctor? In this workshop, you’ll outsmart AI by using your creativity. In this roughly 20-minute workshop, participants try to trick the AI system into classifying them into different professions. At the same time, they’ll see that AI can be fragile, easily misled, and heavily dependent on the data it’s been trained on. The workshop is suitable for all ages, and you can join alone or in small groups. The workshop explores errors, biases, and “tricking” in machine vision-based technology. The “Breakable Machine” supports critical AI literacy by helping participants understand the limitations, risks, and societal impacts of AI systems.
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopisto, Generation AI -hanke
The Mystery of the Lost Invention
Are you up for the challenge? Can you find the lost invention before time runs out? Will you be able to stop the spread of a disease that threatens the world?
The "Mystery of the Lost Invention" escape room game is designed for middle school groups (grades 8–9) who want to take on the challenge of solving the mystery of a disease threatening the world. In the escape room game, researchers solve various tasks that help them determine where the lost invention has ended up and how it can be used to prevent the spread of a disease threatening the world. The tasks guide the researchers toward a bigger picture as they gather clues, analyze findings, and form hypotheses about the invention’s fate.
The game strengthens logical reasoning, teamwork, and the ability to combine biological, historical, and social knowledge. Students see how scientific observations and everyday phenomena are interconnected. In the final debriefing, the skills and insights learned are summarized, and students reflect on how these same skills can be applied in daily life and society.
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopisto
Candy chromatography and inversion problems
In this workshop, you’ll get to try separating food coloring from candy using paper chromatography and put your problem-solving skills to the test with tricky math problems. You’ll also learn how these topics relate to research conducted at the University of Eastern Finland. The workshop is suitable for anyone who wants to learn through exploration, reflection, and discovery. The workshop is part of the “Science Adventure in Eastern Finland” project, funded by the Olvi Foundation.
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopiston LUMA-keskus
On the Map and in the Villages - Learning About Your Own Environment
At this workshop, you can learn about the place- and community-based learning method (PBL) and how to apply it to your learning. As a pedagogical approach, PBL emphasizes working within the local environment and community, linking what is learned to concrete experiences and thereby increasing motivation to learn. At the station, participants work together on exercises related to the method, such as mapping, which opens up perspectives on this versatile and broad-ranging approach and generates new insights into our living environment.
Workshop organizer: ENO Schoolnet ry
Lego Robotics
Explore the exciting world of robotics at SciFest, presented by talented students from Kitee Folk High School. Our students will showcase the diverse range of LEGO robots they have built, demonstrating their creativity and technical skills. Explore projects such as sumo-wrestling robots, interactive maze-solving challenges with prizes, colour-sorting robots, and interactive puppy robots. We invite all to witness and be inspired by their work!
Workshop organizer: Kiteen Evankelinen Kansanopisto
Guardians of the Earth and Other Wonders of the Night Sky – Observatorium Väisälä's Mobile Planetarium
This year at SciFest, you’ll also have the chance to delve into the mysteries of the universe when the mobile planetarium from Observatorium Väisälä in Tuorla arrives at the event! This year’s lineup includes a new film, “Guardians of the Earth,” which explores how satellites are used to study the state of our planet. The film also explores topics such as biodiversity and addresses how we can influence the state of the Earth. Planetarium sessions begin on the hour during the event on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Each show can accommodate about 30 enthusiastic space explorers of all ages—reserve your spot on the schedule!
Workshop organizer: Avaruuspuisto Väisälä
Changing energy
The purpose of the workshop is to examine energy production, renewable and non-renewable forms of energy, and their future. Students will have the opportunity to explore the big picture of energy—past and present—while also considering future prospects and ideas. In the workshop, students will build an interactive chart that highlights breakthroughs in energy production. The workshop also addresses pollution caused by different forms of energy and how they affect our living environment. In the workshop, students get to experiment with electricity generation firsthand, for example using a dynamo. Working in small groups, students explore different forms of energy production and participate in an important discussion about a more sustainable future. Welcome to an electrifying workshop!
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopisto
Control the robot and send secret messages!
Come see how technology can be used for fun! In this workshop, you’ll get to drive speedy remote-controlled Sphero robots and challenge your friends on the track. You’ll also learn how to send secret messages using colored lights along fiber-optic cables—just like computers do in real data transmission. It’s fast-paced, colorful, and hands-on. Come try it out, be surprised, and get excited!
Workshop organizer: Tulliportin normaalikoulu, Erasmus+ STEM-hanke
Happiness - eudaimonia
Assignments and topics about Ethics – the instructor is present from time to time. The main work takes place in the visitor’s mind.
Workshop organizer: Tulliportin nk. lukio (Unesco tr.)
Escape room: Treasure Hunt
An amazing multi-faceted escape room adventure! The group embarks on an adventure through the jungle and across the sea, solving one puzzle after another in search of hidden treasure.
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopisto/FILO/SKOPE
Bicycle Service Station
It’s time to service and polish your bike to get it ready for summer after the winter weather. At our service station, you can inflate your tires, clean and lubricate your chains, and get other bike maintenance tips. A bike expert from Joensuun Pyöräpaja is here to assist you.
Workshop organizer: Sanaratas ry sekä Joensuun Pyöräpaja
Construction company Waving Tower Ltd.
The goal of the workshop is to build a tower whose durability will be tested using an earthquake simulator. The workshop will maintain a ranking list of the most durable towers (with prizes for the best ones). Students participating in the workshop will be divided into 2–4 groups, depending on the size of the class. Workshop learning objectives: Building a durable tower, teamwork skills, managing a budget when purchasing supplies, and getting the most out of the budget to acquire the best possible materials.
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopiston käsityön opiskelijat (syventävä harkka)
Robot Rally – two robots and one mission!
Can you beat the clock in our fast-paced robot relay? Guide two robot cars through the course, complete the handoff with a robotics arm, and race for the top of the leaderboard. A fun and hands-on challenge for curious minds of all ages, combining teamwork, problem-solving, and the excitement of educational robotics.
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopisto, tietojenkäsittelytieteen laitos
Through the Eyes of a Satellite
In this workshop, participants will gain a hands-on understanding of satellites by disassembling one and examining its components. They will have the opportunity to try out small demonstration tasks related to space exploration and satellite measurements. UV light and hematite stones will be used to illustrate the study of radiation. Thermochromic plates and thermal cameras demonstrate how heat and radiation can be detected in different ways. The workshop offers insights into how satellites collect data about space and Earth.
Workshop organizer: ESERO Finland / Tiedekeskus Heureka
On the Trail of an Infectious Disease
A mysterious epidemic of backward-walking fever is spreading in Joensuu. The group’s task is to conduct an experimental lab test, make difficult societal decisions, identify the disease’s transmission routes, and reflect on their own readiness to act in a challenging situation. The group’s choices will affect the spread of the epidemic—will Joensuu be saved, or will the disease escalate into a pandemic? The workshop provides students with an opportunity for critical reflection, practical training in workplace skills, and the chance to see their own impact in crisis situations—literally.
Workshop organizer: Itä-Suomen yliopisto
Science Challenges
Come challenge yourself with fun science challenges and win prizes!
Workshop organizer: Joensuun Tiedeseura ry
From old books to kites, poems, greeting cards, paintings, and more!
Did you know that old books aren’t accepted for paper recycling anymore? They’re just waste to be burned. But before that happens, we can put them to other uses. Come and brainstorm ideas for completely new products made from old books. You can make all kinds of paper airplanes out of them. You can craft a stunning greeting card, a picture frame, an envelope, or a gift box for spring celebrations. With a few books, you can make a beautiful knife holder for your home, and if you’re patient, you can even whittle a small basket, a piece of jewelry, or a pencil holder.
Workshop organizer: Sanaratas ry
Free falling
Can you build a protective structure for an egg that’s strong enough to survive a wild free fall? Put your building skills to the test at the Joensuu Science Society’s workshop and win prizes!
Workshop organizer: Joensuun Tiedeseura ry