Beaker Street Festival releases full program for this year’s event

Tassie’s largest science festival is coming back with a mega list of events and many of those are encourage those riding solo to take a dip. FULL PROGRAM HERE >>

Molly Appleton

@mollyappleton93

2 min read

May 29, 2025 - 5:00AM

Dark Sky dinner. Beaker Street Festival launches its 2025 program. Picture: Rosie Hastie

Tasmania

Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.

Beaker Street Festival’s program has officially dropped in what will bring “probably our most interesting topics yet” to the annual science bonanza.

Festival founder Margo Adler, who is also the creative director, said a major theme this year was connection — diving into artificial intelligence and human inevitabilities like death.

“So taking a sceptical look at AI, really considering both how it might help us in terms of scientific progress, but also, potentially undermine what makes us human, as the computer can suddenly do everything,” Dr Adler said.

Dr Margo Adler in Beaker Street Office. Beaker Street Festival launches its 2025 program. Picture: Fred and Hannah

One of the sessions diving into whether AI will save or enslave us is What’s Your p(Doom)? with comedian Michael Hing and computer scientist professor Toby Walsh.

She said the festival this year was encouraging people to come alone and meet some new people.

“We’re also going to have some fun little ways for people to indicate to each other at the festival that they’re on the lookout,” she said.

“We want people to get off the apps and go back to living in the real world.

“We’re not at all anti-tech, but I think there’s this real need now to look sceptically at what the tech companies are trying to sell us.”

Science is fun and the festival wants to invite everyone to be part of that, Dr Adler says, because it’s important people have conversations to air their doubts and scepticism.

“That’s what science is about, and really to ask those tough questions,” she said.

Beaker Street’s iconic roving scientist bar will be back at the Hope and Anchor where punters can sit opposite a bar table with one of almost 200 roving scientists to take part in this year’s festival.

A slew of activities will cater for cover many curiosities.

Discovery Sunday. Beaker Street Festival launches its 2025 program. Picture: Fred and Hannah for Brand Tasmania

Those include events surrounding death and dying, sex and pleasure — with the festival running its first nightclub that’ll include confessional booths to chat with sexual health doctors, an inclusive seismic dance party and even a workshop serving tips to take the feeling of a special bottle of wine from a restaurant or vineyard to your home.

Running for a week in the middle of August, Dr Adler said the festival was a great way to activate Hobart businesses.

“We’ve got tons of events that are directly in the local businesses, driving business to those places that might not otherwise have a lot of customers at that time of year,” she said.

“And also helping the locals discover some places they may never have been to before.”

Beaker Street has an army of around 75 volunteers pitching in, while many people interstate travel for it, she said.

The full program — including many free events — and tickets can be accessed on the Beaker Street website, www.beakerstreet.com.au/