The Tennessee STEAM Festival 2026: East Tennessee Events Worth the Drive (Oct 9-25)
The Tennessee STEAM Festival runs October 9-25, 2026, and if your kid is anywhere near a science center, museum, or library that week, you probably don't need to drive far to find hands-on events. I've watched this festival grow for years, and it's one of the few statewide things that actually shows up close to Maryville instead of just in Nashville.
What it is
The Tennessee STEAM Festival connects families, schools, museums, libraries, universities, and local businesses across the state for two weeks of science, technology, engineering, art, and math events. It was founded by the Discovery Center in Murfreesboro, but every region hosts its own lineup. East Tennessee historically has some of the best offerings, and 2026 is no exception.
What's happening in East TN this year
The festival's featured East Tennessee events include three I'd put on the calendar:
STEAM at the Stadium with MUSE Knoxville (October 11, 1:30-5:30pm) — If your kid is into building things, this one is great. K-8 students take part in an Engineering Design Challenge where they design a brand-new soccer stadium using materials like glue, popsicle sticks, and LEGO, then get to stick around for a One Knox soccer game afterward. It's geared toward any kid or homeschool group, not just MUSE members.
STEAM Station at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum (October 15, 3:30-5:00pm) — This one is in Chattanooga, so it's a day trip, but train-obsessed kids will lose it. You work through hands-on stations where science, technology, engineering, art, and math all relate to railroading, then explore the exhibit building. They're also offering a discounted rate on the Missionary Ridge Local that week.
STEAMagination at UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center (October 24, 10:00am-1:00pm) — Another Chattanooga trip, this one is all about hands-on learning stations. Good option if you want to make a full weekend of it in Chattanooga.
How to find what's near you
The festival's official site (tnsteam.org) has a "Find an Event" page that sorts events by area, and it updates throughout the festival as more events get added. Since the lineup rolls out over time, it's worth checking back closer to October 9 if you don't see something near you right now. Their East Tennessee events page lists events as they're confirmed.
The honest part
The big caveat: not everything is in Maryville. Most of the closest confirmed events this year are in Knoxville or Chattanooga, which means budgeting drive time (or planning it as a day trip with snacks and a full charge on the tablet). If you only want something in Blount County itself, your options may be more limited this year, so check the event finder and give yourself a little flexibility.
Still, for a hands-on activity that actually teaches your kid something while they think they're just playing, this festival is about as close to a free (or low-cost) afternoon as you'll find. I'll be watching the Knoxville-area list to see what gets added.
Quick facts - Dates: October 9-25, 2026 - Where: Events across Tennessee; closest confirmed East TN events in Knoxville and Chattanooga - Website: tnsteam.org - Ages: All ages; the Stadium challenge is K-8 - Cost: Varies by event, many free or low-cost