In September 1928, Alexander Fleming returned from a holiday and checked his petri dishes containing Staphylococcus bacteria. In one of them, the mold that had begun growing would lead to the discovery of penicillin.
Strange, unexpected and incredible things can grow in a petri dish — including the revitalized Beakerhead science festival. Taking place in venues across Calgary, Petri Dish by Beakerhead is set to make its comeback from November 6 to 8.
Organized by the TELUS Spark Science Centre, Beakerhead is a science festival that highlights STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) and presents these disciplines through interactive exhibitions, live performances, workshops and more. Though the festival was beloved, it went on hiatus in 2025 to address feedback received the year prior.
“There were two key things,” says Zack Anderson, senior director of science and education at TELUS Spark. “One was the importance of [festival events] being around the city, and the other was the barrier of pricing.”
Tickets to the 2024 festival ranged from $24 to $36 and its activations were confined to the TELUS Spark Science Centre.
Taking this into consideration, Beakerhead returns with a scaled-back, community-focused version of the festival we knew and loved. Events for Petri Dish take place primarily at TELUS Spark, with additional events at the University of Calgary and Two House Brewing. Pricing is also more accessible, with many of the events being completely free.
If the past Beakerhead festival’s view of science was like looking through the Hubble telescope, Petri Dish looks through, appropriately, a microscope. In addition to making the festival more accessible, Anderson says that the Beakerhead team also wanted to make Petri Dish more locally-focused. While previous years incorporate art exhibitions and performances from international artists, Petri Dish draws on local talent like the medieval armoured combat group the Calgary Silver Gryphons, spoken word poet Miranda Krogstad and house and techno DJ Juicy Mango.
“We wanted to focus on cool things that are happening in our own backyard,” says Anderson.
Some of the events to watch for at Petri Dish include past favourites like Beakernight, the 18+ party that kicks off the festival, a five-course dinner experience incorporating education on climate change, a thematically-appropriate petri dish swabbing activation and much more.
In Calgary, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to arts and culture events. If you don’t consider yourself a science buff, you might not think Petri Dish is for you. Anderson encourages you to think again.
“The fundamental thing of science is curiosity [and] inquiry,” says Anderson. “Are you a curious person? Well, then you’re a science person.”
For more details about Petri Dish by Beakerhead, visit petridish.sparkscience.ca
