FAQs

Exhibitors, Kids & Families, Media, Sponsors, Teachers, Volunteers

What is the Biocom Institute Festival of Science & Engineering?

The eight-day Festival and year-round activities embrace the communities of science, engineering and technology with a shared goal of inspiring the next generation of innovators and researchers. This is accomplished by providing opportunities for students from all backgrounds to participate in hands-on activities, meet real scientists and engineers, and learn how recent discoveries and research affect our daily lives. Most of the events are offered at no charge to participants.

The Festival is strategically designed to expand the general public's understanding of just how relevant and important science and engineering are in our everyday lives, illuminate why the U.S. must maintain its leadership role in science and technology, and motivate today's students to become tomorrow's science, engineering and technology leaders.

Who participates in the Festival?

The Festival is geared toward families and K-12 students. However, a number of participants of all ages and backgrounds participate in Festival activities. Scientists, engineers, educators and people who are just plain curious about the exciting world of science and engineering can be found at each of our events!

More than 50,000 San Diegans participate in Festival events in the month leading up to the Festival.

More than 27,000 people attend our "grand finale" EXPO DAY at PETCO Park.

The Festival continues to prove year after year that children, families and adults want to be engaged in the wonders of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Who organizes the Festival?

The Festival is produced by BIOCOM Institute in partnership with UC San Diego and Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.

More than 200 volunteers and a core team of community leaders in business, media and education, along with several panels of advisors, manage the execution of the Festival.

How many people participate in the Festival?

More than 50,000 San Diegans participated in Festival events in the month leading up to the Festival.

More than 27,000 people attend our "grand finale" EXPO DAY at PETCO Park.

The Festival continues to prove year after year that children, families and adults want to be engaged in the wonders of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

How much does it cost to participate in the Festival?

We are so excited about this one! It is our goal to keep the Festival free. Currently, EXPO DAY is a 100% free event for kids and families, and we are working hard to keep it that way.

In addition, most of our Festival Week events are also free -- only a handful of museums and other facilities require a nominal admission fee.

Of course, some of our partner agencies and some of the events listed in the What's Next Resource Guide are required to charge admission to their facilities. However, we work with those groups to see if there is any possible way to provide free access for children and families during the Festival.

As you might imagine, keeping an event this large free to the public is a significant undertaking! To that end, we solicit the support of generous sponsors. Please let them know you appreciate their commitment to San Diego kids, students and families!

What are the Festival's main goals?

Increase awareness of the role that science, engineering and technology play in the San Diego region
Increase and sustain engagement in science, engineering and technology learning opportunities (S.T.E.M. education)
Increase opportunities to interact with science and engineering professionals

Can I Bring Food to EXPO Day at PETCO Park?

The San Diego Padres permit guests to bring food into Petco Park for individual consumption (but not for large groups of individuals) as long as the items are consumed in the general seating or designated picnic areas. Outside food cannot be brought into any restaurant, club lounge, or suite. Guests must also adhere to the following:

All food items should be wrapped, bagged, or left inside a container to avoid spillage.
Food that might be thrown as a projectile must be sliced or sectioned (i.e., oranges, apples and other fruits).
Food containers must be soft-sided and small enough to fit under the guest's seat. All bottles, cans, thermoses, jugs as well as containers larger than sixteen (16) inches by sixteen (16) inches by eight (8) inches are prohibited.
Factory-sealed, bottled water that is twenty (20) ounces or less and soft-sided single juice and milk containers are the only outside beverages permitted into Petco Park. Guests with disabilities may bring factory-sealed plastic or paper containers containing liquids required for medical reasons into the ballpark.

Where Can I Park @ EXPO Day at PETCO Park?

With special thanks to the Padres and ACE Parking, the Festival will have discounted $5 parking options in the Parcel C Lot and the Parkade Lot, which are all indicated on the map below.

EXPO Day Parking Map PDF

Exhibitors, Sponsors

Will you be providing tablecloths or skirting for the tables?

You will need to bring your own table covers.

Will you be providing extension cords and power strips?

You will need to bring your own distribution for power. We will give you one circuit- usually 20 amps- and it is your responsibility to distribute this power to your various items. Please remember: you will only have 20 amps and you can't go over this amount or it will trip the circuit. Also, please think about your power distribution methods in terms of safety. You should be using extension cords and/ or power strips that are meant for the type of items that you are plugging in.

My group really wants to sell stuff at the Expo. That's OK, right?

Sorry, but there is no selling allowed at the Expo. We will have Science Festival buttons and t-shirts for sale to support the Festival. This is the only booth that is allowed to have sales.

My space doesn't have a tent. Can I bring my own?

Sorry, but no. If you have been assigned a space with no tent, it will be clearly marked on your confirmation packet. This means that you are located in an area that is covered. Because of fire code, we can't put up tents in the covered area.

Can I set things up outside of my 10x10 (or 10x20) footprint?

Sorry, but no. All groups need to set up inside their allotted space only. Setting up outside of your space will mean that you are either infringing on another group or impeding a pathway. The size requirements you provide must include the entire space you need.

Last year you sent out a "shopping list," can you send it again?

Of course! Here's what we recommend you bring with you:

Gaffer's tape (like duct tape, only low-residue) *please remember that you are NOT allowed to adhere anything to any structure at PETCO Park. Tape can be used to adhere things to tents, tables, chairs and any structure that you bring with you.
Scissors
Zip ties
Hand sanitizer
Sun block, sun glasses, a hat
Paper towels (or a clean rag)
Table cloths (or vinyl quick covers-- you can get them at places like Party City)
Power strip/ extension cords
Your confirmation packet and unloading pass
Layers-- a jacket or sweater just in case
A dolly
A step stool if you need to hang banners

My group is going to have a give-away... how many should we bring? Are there any restrictions?

Everybody loves a free gift! The feedback we have received is that how many to bring depends on how many kids can participate in your activity as well as how popular the activity is. Can you do 300 interactions per hour or only 3? Most groups find that 2000-3000 items are plenty. There are however, some restrictions on what you can bring-- please do not give-away stickers, food (yes, candy and gum counts as food) and do not give away pens, markers, or sharpened pencils.

Can we decorate with helium balloons or give-away helium balloons?

Sorry, but no.

I need to get water for my activity. Where can I get it?

Water for small containers, buckets, etc. can be found at any of the park restrooms. You need to bring your own bucket or jug to carry water. It is very important that you dispose of all liquids in a safe manner-- including "plain water." Please don't dump any liquid (including plain water) into landscaping, gutters, tree wells, ground drains, storm drains, or, really, anywhere except an approved location. The only approved locations for liquid disposal are: the janitors floor sink in Power Alley or, for smaller amounts of liquid, restroom sinks.

My group has a lot of stuff that we need to move from the unloading gate to our booth. Will you have dollies or carts available?

At your gate we will have a limited number of dollies and some volunteers who will be able to help you and direct you to your booth location. If you have lots of materials and want to ensure a speedy trip to your booth, I would recommend bringing your own dolly to aid in the load in. If you want to use one of our dollies, please be patient!

Can we hand out stickers?

Sorry, but no.

How big are the tables that you are providing?

All tables are standard banquet tables (8'x30"). Please remember that you need to bring your own table cloths.

Will you be providing pallet jacks or fork lifts?

Sorry, but no. We will have a limited number of dollies at each gate. If you need to have special equipment to load in your equipment or if you don't want to wait for our equipment to become available, you need to bring your own.

What are the load-in options?

We do have load-in available on Friday. If you request a Friday load-in, you will come to the EAST VILLAGE GATE located on 10th and K between noon and 5pm on the Friday before EXPO DAY. We will have dollies and a limited number of volunteers on hand to assist you. (Please note-- regardless of which gate you are assigned to, all Friday load-in is done through the East Village Gate!) If you would like to load-in on Friday, please indicate so on your application, or contact our office (if you have not done so already).

If your load-in is not highly labor intensive we recommend that you arrive early on Saturday morning. The gates will open for you at 7:00 AM. Even if your load-in is very light, we ask that you still arrive early Saturday. This will ensure that you get to your booth and get set-up prior to the gates opening for the public at 10:00 AM. It always takes a little bit longer to set-up then groups anticipate, and with 120+ exhibitor groups... well, you can only imagine how crowded things can become in the venue. Giving yourself extra time to set-up will make for a better experience for you, your staff, and the families that will be attending EXPO DAY.

Can I drive my vehicle into the Park at the Park?

Sorry, but no. Vehicles are not allowed onsite. You will need to pull your vehicle up to the curb and unload it. You will not be allowed to drive up to your booth.

How do Sponsors benefit from participating in the Festival?

We're glad you asked. We take sponsorship support very seriously, and spend a great deal of time evaluating outcomes for Exhibitors, Event Hosts and Sponsors. Our goal is to continually improve participation outcomes for Sponsors and Exhibitors, and we are exceeding that goal each year.

Here are some recent numbers:

85.9% of exhibitors felt very or extremely successful in helping attendees learn something new.
82.9% felt very or extremely successful in increasing attendees' interest in STEM (Science, Techonology, Engineering and Mathematics).
89% of exhibitors say they will participate in next year's Festival.

What does it cost to exhibit at EXPO DAY?

Contact our office to learn about sponsorship and exhibitng opportunties.

Exhibitors, Kids & Families, Media, Sponsors, Teachers, Volunteers

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