Inventor Parent Day of Fair Guide

What to Expect At the Fairs on Judging Day

Inventors Fair Overview
Science & Engineering Fair Overview

Thomas A. Edison Festival of Light Regional Inventors Fair

Parents: During Project Check-In (Friday), please notify Inventors Fair administrators of any participants with special accommodations. It is important that ALL participants have an opportunity to have a positive fair experience. Accommodations are best made by planning before judging begins on Saturday.

On the Judging Day (Saturday), please make sure your child arrives at the Inventors Fair Entrance at least 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled time. Judging times are listed by grade level. Click HERE to review Judging Schedule.

No parents are allowed on the exhibit floor during judging. Ask to speak to an Inventors Fair administrator if an urgent matter exists.

The 4th and 5th grade levels often have the largest number of entries. Students are required to stay by their project display UNTIL interviewed by a group of 3 judges.

Inventors Fair participants are NOT required to stay all day. When finished with judging, students may exit to the Parent Pick Up Area (Event Map).

Winner’s Ribbons will be placed around 3:30 PM. Please DO NOT remove project displays until after 4 pm.

A Winners List will be posted near the entrance of the exhibit floor once all Winner’s Ribbons are handed out. Winner’s Ribbons identify students that will receive further recognition. Winner’s places will first be announced at the Inventors Fair Awards Program.

The Inventors Fair Awards Program location is Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts Elementary.

Stay connected with our Fair online, through social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), or by ADDING TO OUR STORY using the hashtag #EdisonFairs.

Students:

Congratulations on being a winner! To compete in the Regional Inventors Fair is an honor that you have earned by your many hours of research and by your creative thinking skills. You have demonstrated this quality by the success of your competition at your school-based fair. This next step is another opportunity to display the enthusiasm you have for invention and creative use of technology.
On Judging Day (Saturday), wear your Name Badge that you received during Project Check-In.
Then, prepare to amaze. That’s right! You’re an inventor now and the Inventors Fair is your opportunity to introduce your great idea to the public. In particular, one judging group will be visiting you to learn more about your wonderful idea. Keep in mind you will be joining hundreds of your fellow students who also have wonderful ideas.
Judges will be interested in how well you understand and apply the invention process to turn your great idea into a successful product venture. Scoring will take into consideration how well you understand and how well you apply the many pieces of the invention process.
Remember, many great inventors including Thomas Edison, came up with ‘great’ ideas that were not right for the time. That did not stop them from continuing to invent while keeping in mind the importance of how a product is made, how well it will meet the need of the person using it, how to market it and will it all be worth the effort and be able to make a profit. The point of all of this to remember is everyone cannot win all at the same time. The real winners are those who keep trying until successful at whatever they choose to do!
A group of three judges will be very interested to speak to you about your amazing invention. This will take about 10 minutes. After being judged, you are NOT required to stay and may exit to the Parent Pick Up Area to join family or friends.
Just so you know, your invention may be considered for a Special Category Award (SCA) independent of the judges score. In order to be considered for a SCA, an invention must best fulfill the specific requirements requested by the donor of the award.
The Inventors Fair Exhibit Hall will OPEN to the public from 1 PM to 4 PM.
Around 3:30PM, Winner’s Ribbons will be placed on project displays. If you receive a Winner’s Ribbons, you have been invited to attend the Inventors Fair Awards Program. Winner’s places will not be announced until the Awards Program.
Please remove your project display between 4 and 5 PM. Any project displays NOT removed by 5PM may be discarded by cleanup crews.

Students, stay connected with our Fair online, through social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), or by ADDING TO OUR STORY using the hashtag #EdisonFairs.

Thomas Alva Edison Kiwanis Regional Science & Engineering Fair

Parents: During Project Check-In (Friday), please notify Science Fair administrators of any participants with special accommodations. It is important that ALL participants have an opportunity to have a positive fair experience. Accommodations are best made by planning before judging begins on Saturday.

On the Judging Day (Saturday), please make sure your child arrives at the Science Fair Entrance at least 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled time. Judging times are listed by session. Click HERE to review Judging Schedule.

No parents are allowed on the exhibit floor during judging. Ask to speak to a Science Fair administrator if an urgent matter exists. Since Science Fair judging is scheduled for most of the day, parents are encouraged to visit on-site educational displays (Weather Permitting) or local attractions: Gulf Coast Town Center or Miromar Outlets.

Students are required to stay by their project display UNTIL all judging is completed for the day.

Winner’s Ribbons will be placed around 4:30 PM. Please DO NOT remove project displays until after 5 pm. Winner’s Ribbons identify students that will receive further recognition. Winner’s places will first be announced at the Science & Engineering Fair Awards Program.

The Science & Engineering Fair Awards Program location is FGCU’s Alico Arena.