NC Gravity Games & Street Fest returns for 10th running

News-Topic, Lenoir, N.C.
Updated ·2 min read

Apr. 18—LENOIR — The checkered flag waves again at the NC Gravity Games and Street Fest, a landmark STEM-education festival and racing extravaganza, on Saturday, April 29 in Downtown Lenoir. The free, action-packed day of thrills is sponsored by Google, Appalachian State University, the University of North Carolina (via the NC Science Festival) and the City of Lenoir.

The Gravity Games will celebrate its 10th running in 2023. The event did not occur in 2020-222 due to pandemic precautions. Thirty eight teams from all over North Carolina are revved up to compete.

The Gravity Games is a real-world STEM experience in which students from across the state use science, technology, engineering and math lessons to build and race their own gravity-powered cars on Ashe Avenue's long hill in downtown Lenoir, cheered on by hundreds of fans as music and other festivities unfold nearby.

Since launching in 2010, the NC Gravity Games & Street Fest has enrolled more than 500 student teams from across the state in its STEM competition and entertained tens of thousands.

The Gravity Games and its various attractions are a signature event of the NC Science Festival. Prizes include bragging rights, tech goodies, medals and trophies — plus the pride in being recognized as STEM superstars.

"Google is proud to be a founder of the NC Gravity Games and to see its return for the 10th year. We're privileged to work with such committed partners and thrilled with the ingenuity of North Carolina's young engineers," said Lilyn Hester, Google's head of public affairs in the southeast. "We look forward to waving the checkered flag again in April and continuing this exciting STEM tradition."

The Science Street expo is slated to include exhibits from STEMWest, Catawba Science Center, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Appalachian Airsports, First Robotics NC, App State Geology, App State Solar Vehicle Team, App State PandA (Physics and Astronomy) Club, App State Astronomy, App State Robotics Team and Caldwell County Schools' Coding Bus and Robotics Teams.

For more information, please visit www.ncgravitygames.com and this social media invitation.

The event is from 9 a.m. — 3 p.m. on Ashe Avenue, Lenoir. There is no charge to attend.