AstroDay returns to Hilo, bringing free science fun for families

More than 30 organizations will fill Prince Kūhiō Plaza with robots, telescopes and live science demos when AstroDay returns to Hilo on Saturday, May 2, for its 24th year. The free event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will turn the mall into one of Hawaii Island’s most accessible gateways into astronomy, technology and hands-on learning.

Maunakea Observatories says the day will include activity stations, live demonstrations, robotics and award presentations at the mid-mall stage, with KWXX/B93 Radio providing live coverage. Families will be able to collect AstroDay coins throughout the day and enter prize drawings for items such as telescopes and skateboards, a mix that makes the event feel less like a formal outreach program and more like a community-wide science fair.

That accessibility matters in Hilo, where keeping students connected to STEM opportunities can shape what comes next for the island’s workforce. Carolyn Kaichi of the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy has said AstroDay is meant to bring world-class science into the heart of the community and inspire the next generation of scientists, explorers and dreamers. The event also gives keiki a direct look at careers that are often distant from daily life in East Hawaii, from observatory work to robotics and research.

One of the biggest draws will be Robot Rumble, which will bring 15 robot teams from across Hawaii Island into head-to-head competition. Local high schools will also showcase robotics projects, giving students a chance to stand beside their work rather than simply watch it from the crowd. The Maunakea Coin Contest will add another student spotlight, with winners from Hawaii Island K-12 schools having their designs featured on the collector coin. Ros Haleyah Mari Asuncion Ganot, an 11th grader at Pāhoa High and Intermediate School, won the 2025 contest, while Megan Pierpont, a 10th grader at Kaū High School, won in 2024.

AstroDay’s scale has grown into a reliable marker of how deeply science outreach has taken root on Hawaii Island. The 2025 event drew more than 30 organizations from across Hawaii, and the 2024 gathering brought more than 1,500 keiki and families to the same Hilo location. For Maunakea Observatories, which describes itself as a group of nonprofit, independent institutions working to steward the mountain’s natural, cultural and scientific resources, AstroDay has become a public-facing extension of that mission. In Hilo, it is also a reminder that a free afternoon at the mall can help shape the island’s next engineers, researchers and technical workers.