PHILADELPHIA PA – Philadelphia Science Festival organizers have questions … lots of questions. So as they announced dates Monday (Dec. 17, 2012) for their third annual event – featuring more than 100 programs April 18-28, 2013 – they decided to explore potential answers. After all, they’re not the only ones who want to know what makes clothing “sweat proof,” why Philly soft pretzels taste so darn good, and how ancient Egyptians mummified their dead.

“The premise behind the Science Festival is to engage all visitors, people who don’t necessarily consider themselves scientists in the traditional sense,” said Dennis M. Wint, president and CEO of festival promoter, The Franklin Institute. “We want everyone to look at the world around us, at what we eat, drink, read and watch everyday, with a sense of curiosity.”

Since its founding in 2011, the science festival has taken science out of the classroom and into restaurants, museums, libraries, galleries and even onto street corners. More than 120,000 people participate in its programs, most of them free or offered at-cost.

A complete list of festival events will be available in February. Signature programs already confirmed include:

• Science Carnival on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., free. An outdoor carnival on the Parkway features more than 100 hands-on interactive activities, science-themed performances and demonstrations that the whole family can enjoy.
• The Philadelphia premiere of “Icarus at the Edge of Time,” April 24 at 8 p.m. in the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall, admission fee. The movie is a journey through space and time and a futuristic update of the Greek myth set in outer space. The story focuses on a boy who challenges the awesome might of a black hole.
• “Beer Chemistry: Perfect Pairings,” April 26 at 7 p.m., at the Yards Brewing Company, admission fee. We all love a cold one, but what makes an IPA different from a saison? The Yards brewmasters show the chemistry behind some favorite brews and the science behind the flavors. Afterward, the experience continues in the Yards Tasting Room with six beer and food pairings specifically selected for their properties.

In addition to festival programs, there will be special celebrations in 15 Free Library branch locations as part of a Neighborhood Science Afterschool initiative. The festival closes with Discovery Weekend, featuring six events taking place in neighborhood parks, recreation centers, and gardens, with hands-on, interactive activities designed to engage communities in the science taking place where they live.

Photo from the Philadelphia Science Festival