Lehigh Valley Space Fest touches down on Lafayette’s campus

Lehigh Valley Space Fest will feature hands-on, interactive activities and exhibits related to NASA missions, space explorations, astronomy, and more. (File Photo)

By: Livia Barclay ’26

Lehigh Valley Space Fest will “bring space back down to Earth” with a weekend of free, family-friendly exhibits and out-of-this-world experiences at Lafayette College.

The festival invites visitors of all ages to explore the mysteries of space through interactive activities, hands-on demonstrations, and expert presentations. 

Visitors can explore Rockwell Integrated Sciences Center, Hugel Science Center, and Anderson Courtyard, where activities will include solar telescope viewings with members of the Lehigh Valley Amateur Astronomical Society, stomp rockets with Da Vinci Science Center, and rocket displays towering up to 10 feet tall. Guests can also browse meteorite collections, learn from Apollo 11 exhibits, watch rover demonstrations, and enjoy kids’ science shows, making Space Fest an exciting and educational experience for all ages.

Chelsea Morrese, executive director of community engagement and director of Landis Center, says she worked last year with Lehigh Valley Space Fest organizers Todd Sullivan and Marty McGuire to bring the event to Lafayette, offering members of the community shared learning experiences. 

“The event brought thousands of people to campus, some from as far away as Reading, so we decided to do it again this year, led by our amazing events and hospitality team,” Morrese says. “Space Fest brings the community together in intellectual, creative, and recreational exploration, which are values that are also critical to the mission of Lafayette. We are grateful to be able to share our space, talent, and values with our community.”

The weekend lineup features presentations from NASA scientists and ambassadors. On Sat., Oct. 11, Caleb Gallemore, associate professor and chair, International Affairs Program, will present “Watching the Earth From Space: A Half Century of Remote Sensing” on Saturday and Sunday. Gallemore is a geographer whose main area of interest is in land-use change, particularly deforestation.

“We are very fortunate to have an array of advanced satellites operated by several countries that help us to understand changes on the Earth’s surface, and my presentation for Space Fest is a sort of love letter to all the satellite programs that make it possible for folks like me to do the work we do,” Gallemore says.

Also on Saturday, Joshua Pepper, a program scientist in NASA’s astrophysics division, will present “The Search for Life on Other Planets.” 

Lehigh Valley Space Fest will include a Star Trek-themed magic show, geared toward fans of science fiction, and a rover demonstration (weather permitting). Visitors are encouraged to wear space-themed costumes or NASA gear to show their excitement, and to share photos with #lvspacefest on social media.

Before You Go

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 11-12

Where: Lafayette College’s Rockwell Integrated Sciences Center, Hugel Science Center, and Anderson Courtyard

Schedule and Details

Parking: 

• Sat., Oct. 11: Leopard (Sullivan) Parking Deck, 1492 Sullivan Road 
• Sun., Oct. 12: Markle Parking Deck, 2 N. Campus Lane