best demo competition 2025 - ENTRIES NOW OPEN
Now’s your chance to take the stage—enter this year’s Best
Demo Competition at the BIG Event!
Created by members, for members, the competition is a celebration of exciting,
entertaining, and share-worthy science demos. If there’s a STEM topic or
phenomenon that gets you buzzing and you love showing it off to your peers,
this is your moment.
The Best Demo Competition is all about passion and
participation—not prestige. But within the BIG community, it’s one of the most
coveted (and fun) ways to get involved.
The event takes place at 5PM on Thursday 16 July in the
iconic Lecture Theatre at the Royal Institution where the likes of Humphry
Davy, Michael Faraday, Hannah Fry, and Maggie Aderin-Pocock have engaged the
public with science, and of course, home of the iconic CHRISTMAS LECTURES.
What’s Involved for Participants?
Here’s what you need to know:
- Demos
must be 3 minutes or less.
- You’ll
need to bring all the equipment you plan to use. The Royal Institution can
help with sourcing some equipment, and can receive kit in advance.
- A
risk assessment is required for your demo.
- You'll
also need to sign up in advance—see below for how.
- Expect
volunteers galore and plenty of support along the way!
- The
Royal Institution team are on hand to support the development of your
demonstration.
- Demonstrations
that involve the use of flames, liquid nitrogen and other similar
materials are welcome and encouraged by the Royal Institution team.
Whether you're a seasoned science communicator or just keen
to share something cool, this isn’t a harsh or intimidating competition—it’s
about sharing joy and enjoying the ride. And yes, there’s a shiny trophy up for
grabs to take home, put on your desk, or stick to the dashboard of your van
(probably not this last one).
How Do You Enter?
Ready to throw your hat in the ring?
To enter the Best Demo Competition, simply complete our Entry Form,
which will ask for the following:
- Your
name
- A
short title for your demo
- A
50–80 word description of your demo
- A
brief list of equipment you plan to use
- A
completed risk assessment
This information is for the venue and event organisers only
and will not be published.
Please note: Your entry is not considered final until all
required information has been submitted via the form and acknowledged by the
organisers.
We’ll be in touch to confirm whether your demo has been
accepted into the competition lineup.
Important Note on Entries
Submitting your entry does not guarantee acceptance into the
final competition lineup. We’ll review all submissions and let you know if your
entry has been selected to go forward.
We can’t wait to see what you’ve got—but space is limited,
so get your entry in soon!
DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF ENTRIES: 11.59pm, TUESDAY 10th
JUNE
If you have any questions about the format, structure, or
need a bit of support in putting your entry together, please contact:
Sam Langford, BIG Event Manager, event@big.uk.com
