Greensboro STEMFest returns May 23 with 3,000 expected at Coliseum complex

More than 3,000 people are expected to pack the Novant Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex on May 23 for Greensboro STEMFest, a free, hands-on event meant to connect classroom curiosity with the kinds of jobs Guilford County employers need to fill.

The second annual STEMFest will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and bring together Honda Aircraft Company, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, Guilford County Schools and the Greensboro Swarm. About 70 sponsors are set to build interactive exhibits, giving families a chance to do more than watch demonstrations. Children and parents will be able to handle activities, ask questions and see how science, technology, engineering and math show up in real work across aviation, manufacturing and other technical fields in the region.

That workforce-development focus is built into the event itself. A STEMFest 2026 partner-interest form says the event is designed to bring together students, families, educators, employers and community partners for hands-on STEM activities and career exposure. The North Carolina Science Festival describes the event as a hands-on science and engineering festival built around the theme “Science Matters,” with topics ranging from business and careers to engineering, food, health, mathematics, physics and technology.

For Guilford County families, the free admission matters as much as the sponsor list. Held over Memorial Day weekend, STEMFest could give parents an affordable outing that also doubles as early career exploration. In a county where aviation and advanced manufacturing remain closely watched industries, that kind of exposure can help make future pathways feel concrete long before students start choosing classes, internships or training programs.

The 2026 event also shows how quickly the effort has grown. Greensboro Chamber of Commerce listings for the first annual STEM Fest last year pointed to 50-plus local partners, while other community listings described more than 40 participating companies and organizations. This year’s larger sponsor count and expected turnout suggest the event is becoming a bigger regional showcase, not just a one-day family attraction, but a public display of how schools, employers and civic groups can work together to build Guilford County’s next generation of talent.