Fermilab hosts successful Outdoor Family Fair

The mission of U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is to conduct experiments that push our understanding of the fundamental building blocks of matter. Part of that mission includes outreach to educate the public about the work done at the lab.

On Sunday, Oct. 22, Fermilab’s Office of Education and Public Engagement hosted its Outdoor Family Fair, which brought the public to the lab to enjoy educational activities about some of its science, as well as to get a close look at Fermilab’s diverse site. The free event saw more than double the turnout of the last Outdoor Family Fair, held in 2019.

Fermilab’s 6,800-acre campus includes restored prairies, a rich ecology and a prized herd of bison, all of which were on display during the 2023 Outdoor Family Fair. Other activities included the Northern Illinois Raptor Rehab and Education exhibiting live raptors. Attendees could participate in a lab timeline scavenger hunt to learn about Fermilab’s history and future. Mr. Freeze put on his always popular liquid-nitrogen show, and a demonstration of quantum entanglement taught guests about basics of quantum mechanics.

Moments from the 2023 Outdoor Family Fair:

Outdoor Family Fair guests enjoyed taking photos and high fives with the lab’s bison mascot. Photo: Dan Svoboda, Fermilab
Lia Merminga, Fermilab’s director, welcomed 2023 Outdoor Family Fair guests and introduced the Mr. Freeze liquid-nitrogen show. Photo: Dan Svoboda, Fermilab
Mr. Freeze demonstrated the coolest aspects of cryogenics, captivating the crowd with his dynamic demonstrations with liquid nitrogen. Photo: Dan Svoboda, Fermilab
Mr. Freeze’s show wowed a crowd of Outdoor Family Fair guests, including Fermilab’s director. Photo: Dan Svoboda, Fermilab
Fair attendees had the opportunity to learn more about the science conducted at the lab. Photo: Keith French, Fermilab
Wally Levernier, Fermilab’s ecologist, led Outdoor Family Fair attendees through Fermilab’s restored prairie to learn about native plants. Photo: Dan Svoboda, Fermilab
During the event, even the youngest guests got up close with Fermilab Fire Station’s fire engine. Photo: Dan Svoboda, Fermilab
Using telescopes with sun filters, the Naperville Astronomical Association showed attendees how to identify sunspots. Photo: Dan Svoboda, Fermilab
During the event, Fermilab Natural Areas held an insect identification workshop, conducting insect sweeps in the prairie and grasslands on guided walks. Photo: Dan Svoboda, Fermilab
Learning firsthand about the macroinvertebrates that live in the pond outside of the Lederman Science Center was a popular activity. Photo: Dan Svoboda, Fermilab
Guests of all ages were awed by the Fermilab bison herd. Photo: Dan Svoboda, Fermilab

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.