Petri Dish by Beakerhead, a science festival produced by TELUS Spark Science Centre in association with the University of Calgary.
novEMBER 6–8, 2026
Produced by
In association with
What Is Petri Dish?
Inspired by one of biology’s most iconic research tools, Petri Dish by Beakerhead is TELUS Spark’s newest experiment. Join us where local scientists, artists, engineers, and curious Calgarians collide, a place for new things to grow.
Where We’re Growing:
Week at a Glance
FOUR DAYS. ONE PETRI DISH.
*Subject to Changes
wednesday, NOV 4
BREW LAB
PRESENTED BY
Science Talks • Pints • Trivia
Two House Brewing (Google Maps) · 6:00 - 9:00 PM (18+)
University of Calgary researchers take the stage for an evening of engaging science talks, followed by science trivia, great conversations and pints at Two House Brewing.
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT.
To be added to waitlist, email scievents@ucalgary.ca.
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Discover how climate change is increasing the risk of massive landslides and tsunamis, and what these dramatic events reveal about our changing planet.
Expert: Dr. Dan Shugar, Geomorphologist
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Explore how wildlife research can shape our understanding of both the natural world and the relationships that connect us to it.
Expert: Dr. Ally Menzies, Biologist
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Parking is available in the lot behind the venue and on nearby streets. If you’re cycling or taking transit, the venue is close to bike lanes, Bow River pathways, and Sunalta CTrain station.
Brew Lab is powered by the University of Calgary Faculty of Science, in partnership with TELUS Spark Science Centre, RCIScience, and Two House Brewing.
FRIDAY, NOV 6
BEAKERNIGHT (18+)
TELUS Spark Science Centre · 6:00 PM - 12:00 AM (Adults Only)
Beakernight is Petri Dish’s adults-only opening night. Six hours, a drink in hand, and the whole of TELUS Spark open for you to explore. Watch combat robots and knights battle, dance at a digital immersion rave, hear a robot concert, sniff your way through an alchemy lab, and test some science on yourself. No kids, no line-ups for the slide, no rules about staying curious.
$39 non-member | $20 member
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BEAKERHEAD SHOW: 🔥 VS. 🧊
Atrium Mainstage
Beakerhead’s science duo, the Beaker Heads, are back with their greatest show yet. They need your help to decide which experiments are coolest: fierce fire or frigid ice. Our best go Beakerhead-to-head in a spectacle you won’t want to miss.*CHECK BACK FOR PROGRAMMING UPDATES AS WE COOK ON THE SCHEDULE.
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👾 DIGITAL IMMERSION RAVE WITH JONAHVISION & DJ JUICY MANGO
Get weird with pixels as lights, visuals and beats collide in a full-sensory dance floor built for the after-dark crowd.
*CHECK BACK FOR PROGRAMMING UPDATES AS WE COOK ON THE SCHEDULE.
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🗡️ HACSA MEDIEVAL DUEL
Experience the clash of steel with the Calgary Silver Gryphons of HACSA. Medieval armoured combat brings knights, weapons and a thrilling test of strength, skill and teamwork. Feel the impact, hear the roar, and watch history collide with modern sport. Ready for battle? Join us.🤖 KILOBOTS 69
Inspiration Stage*CHECK BACK FOR PROGRAMMING UPDATES AS WE COOK ON THE SCHEDULE.
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🎨 KIYOOKA OHE ARTS CENTRE: ARTIST IN RESIDENCE TAKEOVER
Artists from the Kiyooka Ohe Arts Centre take over the dish. ALBERTA PRINTMAKERS: LEGO PRINTMAKING
Build it, ink it, print it. Make your own print using the most beloved building blocks.🔧 WELDING PRINCESS
Meet an artist who combines her talent in the arts with her skills in welding to create wonderful works of art. Find out more about the “A” in STEAM and see the trades from a new perspective.*CHECK BACK FOR PROGRAMMING UPDATES AS WE COOK ON THE SCHEDULE.
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👃 ol.facto: FORGOTTEN ALCHEMY LAB. WHERE MAGIC MEETS MOLECULES
A self-guided sensory puzzle that combines theatrical alchemy imagery with the science of smell. ol.facto is a Calgary-based studio that transforms scent from something you wear into something you feel, explore and shape for yourself.🦖 ASSEMBLESAURUS: DECORATING THE DINOSAUR
Outdoors in the Brainasium
Join us by the Brainasium to give our homemade Assemblesaurus, Gabby, a fresh coat of colour and watch the Summer at Spark project truly come to life.🔧 SAIT POINTE TROTTER CAMPUS AND WOMEN IN TRADES AND TECHNOLOGY
Learn from professionals and meet people who work and teach in the trades every day. Try a simulation of the real skills they use.
SATURDAY, NOV 7
Petri Dish: Day one
FREE ADMISSION THANKS TO OVINTIV
*FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED TICKETS AT THE DOOR
TELUS Spark Science Centre · 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM (All ages)
Petri Dish's biggest day. A full 12 hours of science, art and engineering colliding, for every age, every curiosity level, all day and into the night.
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Hands-on demos and experiments running throughout the day.
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Performances, demonstrations and talks in the main atrium on the first floor.
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All-ages talks in the Infinity Dome.
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Quick, surprising talks from people who invented their own job title, living proof that arts and science can grow into something entirely new.
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Dedicated programming for ages 0–8 in the Creative Kids Museum.
What’s Growing Saturday:
ADDITIONAL OFF-SITE Programming
〰️
ADDITIONAL OFF-SITE Programming 〰️
SEVEN WONDERS OF SCIENCE
PRESENTED BY
University of Calgary, EEEL Building (Google Maps) · 12:30 PM - 5:00 PM (All ages)
Science is full of wonder.
Seven Wonders of Science brings that wonder into the community through engaging talks, interactive experiences and opportunities to connect directly with the researchers behind the discoveries.
Join us for a free afternoon featuring seven University of Calgary researchers as they share fascinating insights into topics ranging from auroras and artificial intelligence to dinosaurs, bugs, the human hand and biomedical engineering. Designed for curious minds of all ages and backgrounds.
Every session includes a live audience Q&A, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions and explore ideas alongside the experts.
Dive into hands-on activities throughout the venue. Explore a science-themed escape room, excavate fossils and create your own dinosaur species, test your strength against a lemur and discover other interactive experiences.
Whether you're a lifelong science enthusiast or simply curious about the world around you, Seven Wonders of Science offers an opportunity to learn something new and experience the excitement of discovery.
Separate from TELUS Spark. Tickets and details handled through UCalgary.
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The aurora is one of nature’s most captivating displays. Discover how Earth's atmosphere, magnetic field and the Sun work together to create the northern lights. This talk explores what the aurora can reveal about our space environment.
Expert: Emma Spanswick, Space Physicist
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The human hand is a remarkable product of evolution, shaped over millions of years to support an extraordinary range of behaviours. Explore the history of the modern human hand, the pressures that influenced its anatomy, how it compares with our closest relatives, and what makes it unique in nature.
Expert: Edwin Dickinson, Primatologist
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Artificial intelligence can generate answers in seconds, but its greatest potential may be helping us think differently. Learn how AI can support curiosity, creativity and reasoning by challenging our assumptions, offering new perspectives and helping us ask better questions.
Expert: Richard Zhao, Computer Scientist
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Tyrannosaurus rex is one of the most iconic predators to ever live. Known for its powerful bite and fearsome reputation, it also raises an intriguing question: would humans have been on the menu? Explore the ancestry, life history and ecology of this apex predator.
Expert: Jared Voris, Paleontologist
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Insects make up around 75% of all described species, yet their lives remain largely overlooked. Explore how bugs breathe, fly, survive the winter and thrive in diverse environments, and discover how studying insects can provide insights into the natural world.
Expert: Jackie Lebenzon, Insect Physiologist
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The human body is complex, adaptive and full of signals that engineers are still learning to understand. Using muscle-generated electrical signals as an example, this talk explores how biomedical technologies are developed and what makes them useful in everyday life.
Expert: Emma Frago, Biomedical Engineer
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More than 99% of the ocean remains unexplored. Marine geophysicist Rachel Lauer takes audiences to the deep seafloor, revealing how forces beneath the Earth's surface shape ecosystems. This talk explores the connections between geophysics and marine biology and highlights the discoveries still waiting beneath the waves.
Expert: Rachel Lauer, Hydrogeologist
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Paid parking is available on the UCalgary campus in Lots 21 and 22.
Seven Wonders of Science is powered by the University of Calgary Faculty of Science, in partnership with TELUS Spark Science Centre and the UCalgary Alumni Partnerships Fund.
SUNDAY, NOV 8
Petri Dish: Day TWO
REDUCED ADMISSION: $10 Adults | $5 Kids
TELUS Spark Science Centre · 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM (All ages)
Closing out the weekend the way it started, loud. Sunday brings one last round of hands-on science, live demos and unexpected science before the dish gets put away for another year. Come for the last taste of Petri Dish.
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Hands-on demos and experiments running throughout the day.
-
Performances, demonstrations and talks in the main atrium on the first floor.
-
All-ages talks in the Infinity Dome.
-
Quick, surprising talks from people who invented their own job title, living proof that arts and science can grow into something entirely new.
-
Dedicated programming for ages 0–8 in the Creative Kids Museum.
What’s Growing Sunday:
STEAM-Y PROGRAMMING IS BREWIN’. STAY CURIOUS.
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STEAM-Y PROGRAMMING IS BREWIN’. STAY CURIOUS. *
hands-on experiences
Dig deeper into the science with our ticketed Petri Dish workshops
Every workshop ticket includes admission to Petri Dish by Beakerhead on-site programming at TELUS Spark Science Centre, so you can explore the festival and science centre before or after your session.
MULTIPLE SESSIONS
art in the algorithm
guided CODING WORKSHOP
Can code be an art form? Combine creativity, technology and coding to make your own unique piece of artwork. In this beginner-friendly workshop, you’ll explore how algorithms, patterns and digital tools can become creative mediums, and you’ll leave knowing coding is as artistic as it is technical.
Ages: 10+ (adults welcome and encouraged!)
What’s Included:
Admission to Petri Dish by Beakerhead
A 30-minute intro to the foundations of code with a coding specialist (no experience needed)
Guided time to code and create your own artwork
A Spark-branded USB stick to take your artwork home
One specialty interactive drink to enjoy at the end of the workshop
Schedule: 25 participants per session
Saturday, November 7
10:00 – 11:00 AM
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Sunday, November 8
9:00 – 10:00 AM
10:30 – 11:30 AM
12:30 – 1:30 PM
2:30 – 3:30 PM
Tickets: $45 per person
ONE NIGHT ONLY
CLIMATE KITCHEN (18+)
A DINNER EXPLORING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN FAMILIAR INGREDIENTS DISAPPEAR
Take part in real research and learn how climate change affects our food at the Climate Kitchen Workshop, where you’ll explore the topic in an engaging, hands-on setting and gain insight into future food choices.
How does climate change affect the flavour, nutritional value, and availability of our food?
We invite you to join our research study and explore how climate change affects what you eat and how you might adapt.
Join us for a 5-course menu that explores changes to the food we eat and how we’ll need to adapt. Guided by Shannon McAllister, PhD student and Vanier Scholar at the School of Interactive Arts & Technology, Simon Fraser University (SFU), participants will explore the challenges and the future of food.
This one-of-a-kind food-and-science pairing workshop will be part of the unique programming during the Petri Dish by Beakerhead science festival celebrations on November 7, 2026, at TELUS Spark Science Centre, offering a distinctive way to engage with the topic.
Participants will be entered into a draw to win a $250 gift basket,
To participate, you must be 18 years of age and sign a consent form as required by SFU Study Ethics.
A limited number of tickets are available at a reduced price of $30 plus tax for participants who require financial assistance. If you are looking for reduced-cost tickets, please contact Shannon McAllister, the lead researcher here.
What’s Included:
Admission to Petri Dish by Beakerhead
A five-course dinner (menu here)
Participation in a research study led by Simon Fraser University
Entry into a draw for a $250 gift basket
Schedule: 80 seats, single seating
Saturday, November 7
Doors: 5:30 PM
Workshop: 6:00 – 9:00 PM
Tickets: $99 per person
Principal Investigator: Dr. Sheelagh Carpendale. Study: 30004099
SCIENCE BYTES
SUE helped scientists prove T. rex had a 6-tonne bite—strong enough to crunch through a car. Our puny 60kg bite could maybe dent a toy one.
Petri Dish is grown in partnership with
in COLLABORATION with
Don't miss it. Nov 6–8, 2026.
PRESENTED BY TELUS SPARK
SCIENCE CENTRE
TELUS Spark is a registered educational charity with the vision of sparking meaningful and transformational connections to science for all.
BN#118781079 RR 0001