ColliderFest 2025: a strong partnership delivers a big bang

ColliderFest 2025 marked a vibrant celebration of science, art, and innovation, firmly embedding itself as a flagship event in Hull’s cultural and academic calendar.

However, the festival was not just a feast for the eyes and the intellect for the thousands of people who flocked to the city centre and the University of Hull campus.

Renewable energy and decarbonisation took centre stage, with Dogger Bank South delivering workshops that demystified wind turbine technologies for the general public and school groups.

Autin Dance captivated audiences with 'Eko', their towering sea-giant puppet, using the arts to highlight pressing environmental concerns around ocean health. The Deep further complemented this theme with its popular 'Deep Diver' talks, connecting marine conservation directly with public consciousness.

Engineering had a notably prominent presence, enriched by collaborations with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), Boston Dynamics Robot Dogs, and the University of Hull’s biomedical engineers, who ran interactive workshops on prosthetics design. Here, university students became role models for young people, guiding them through workshops where pupils built their own cardboard prosthetic hands.

Indeed, student participation was woven throughout the fabric of ColliderFest. Student science buskers took to the streets with maths based card-tricks and other attention grabbing demos. Postgraduate research students showcased their cutting-edge work through captivating talks and dynamic demonstrations that enlivened spaces across Hull, from The Minster, Ron Dearing UTC to the Museums Quarter and Ferens Art Gallery.

ColliderFest’s alignment with Hull’s second Cultural Tides conference further bolstered its impact. The festival served as a perfect backdrop for launching Hull’s Culture and Heritage Strategy 2025-2030, fostering valuable discussions that bridged the gap between science, culture, and community.

The festival was also an outstanding platform for promoting research excellence. The 'Lates' series, highlighting research from Artificial Intelligence to Astrophysics, demonstrating how staff have been involved in science consulting for major Hollywood film.

These events drew large, curious audiences, showcasing the university’s commitment to accessible, engaging public outreach. A spectacular "After Dark" light show transformed the city centre, proving to be one of the festival’s most talked-about highlights, alongside the thrilling pyrotechnic demonstrations by Matthew Tosh that unpacked the explosive intersection of science and entertainment.

Ultimately, ColliderFest 2025 demonstrated Hull’s potential as a powerhouse of innovation and culture, nurturing the next generation of scientific talent, and captivating audiences with a compelling blend of science, technology, and the arts.