Join us for Tech Ilford 2025, our annual celebration of innovation, creativity, and hands-on discovery! This year we’re putting the ‘Arts’ at the heart of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths), offering exciting, interactive experiences for families, young people, and the wider community.

🎨 Love art, coding, science, or storytelling? There’s something for you! Sign up to get exclusive updates and a reminder ahead of the big day.

✨ No experience needed—just bring your curiosity! Completely FREE, thanks to funding from Arts Council England

The Invisible Man

Meet the Invisible Man, a science experiment gone wrong! Guided by his mysterious doctor, this 8-foot-tall figure roams the streets, revealing his translucent body through magic, puppetry, and projection. Get up close to this unforgettable live experience—just be ready to see more (or less) than expected! He’ll be wandering around the library and Ilford High Road, so keep an eye out for them. Brought to life by the artists of Altered States.

Serenity Tent

Take a calming break in our cozy, welcoming tent. Designed as a peaceful escape, this quiet space offers soft play for children, with comfortable seating and soothing, squishy toys for everyone to enjoy. The gentle atmosphere is perfect for recharging, whether you’re looking for a moment of peace or simply a place to unwind during the festival. The Serenity Tent offers a bit of calm amidst all the fun. 

Geometry Shapes Big & Small

Dive into the exciting world of geometry and discover the art of creating with a compass! Design a vibrant, hand-drawn card to take home as a unique keepsake! Contribute to our collaborative mural where everyone can draw circles with a giant compass right on the floor! The patterns will be inspired by the beautiful shapes found in nature, showcasing the wonders of geometry all around us! Designed and delivered by The NO Collective

Creative Light & Mirrors 

Welcome to the world where science meets art! Explore the fascinating theme of reflection and discover how light creates stunning artistic illusions. Try out a variety of mirror illusion boxes and prisms that reveal the captivating ways light moves. Create your very own illusion device—a unique kaleidoscope—to take home. It’s an illuminating adventure in light and creativity! An imaginative project by The NO Collective

Radiant Recyclers

Create brilliant designs with light in our giant retro ‘litebrite’ installation! Using recycled plastic bottles and a towering 6ft light box, you’re invited to help craft a glowing cultural pattern and explore the beauty of light refraction. This interactive installation also shares the inspiring story of how similar techniques bring sustainable lighting to homes in developing countries, offering a fun and educational experience for all ages. Prepared by the creative practitioners at The NO Collective

Lights, Camera, Green Screen! 

It’s your time to shine and let your imagination soar! Using immersive green screen technology, transport yourself to a different exciting world – fly through outer space, journey inside a high-tech lab, or take to the skies on a futuristic broomstick. Parents can join in on the fun and snap photos, and a special video will be created to capture the day’s highlights—perfect for sharing with friends and family. Powered by Digital Enterprise Makers.

Just Dance

Groove to the beat with your friends in this interactive dance corner of the library! Featuring popular hits, this fun activity blends music, technology, and movement as you discover how the game’s console tracks your body in real time. Whether you’re a beginner or a dance master, step into the world of coordination and flow for a truly electrifying experience! 

Sculpt in Mid-Air

Ignite Your Imagination in 3D! Pick up a 3D printing pen and start crafting! With each stroke, watch your ideas take shape in mid-air, transforming from simple lines to intricate, one-of-a-kind designs. Perfect for curious creators of all ages, this activity blends hands-on art with cutting-edge tech, allowing you to turn imagination into something you can hold. Brought to you by the awesome team at Bizzie Bodies. 

Intergalactic Imagination

Blast off into a cosmic journey of creativity! Explore digital illustration and character design by crafting your own imaginative alien species. Using tablets and professional software, learn step-by-step techniques to bring extraterrestrial creations to life, all while discovering the basics of digital art and storytelling.

Clues and Curiosities 

A thrilling mystery has struck the library—the rare, one-of-a-kind incunable book has vanished! Become a detective and search for hidden clues around the library using a spyglass magnifier to examine each discovery closely. Piece together clues to solve the mystery, leading you to the Met Police station, where you’ll complete your mission with a fun fingerprint activity. Can you solve the case and save this historic treasure? 

Braille Story Wall 

Step into the world of Braille and add your mark to our community story! Help us recreate the first sentence of a beloved children’s book using Braille “Dots Tiles.” Choose a vibrant color, create a Braille letter, and place it in the display where it belongs in the sentence. Earn a Braille sticker as a reward, make your own Braille card, and explore a 3D-printed Braille alphabet model. Plus, enjoy Braille-inspired games and books designed for all ages. Watch our story art wall grow into a unique display to enjoy by sight and by touch. Led by Ruqaiya Asim, a Blind Artist, and the RNIB team, celebrating Braille 200. 

Art Beyond Dimensions

Create art without limits! Using virtual reality, experiment with brush strokes that leap off the canvas, from beams of light to flowing water. Move through your artwork, see it from every angle, and play with dozens of unique brush styles like stars, fire, and more. It’s a hands-on experience that lets you reimagine art as you explore virtual landscapes, painting in ways you’ve never imagined. The possibilities are endless, and your imagination is the only limit! 

Pedal Power

Get ready to feel the power—literally! Generate real energy to power everyday devices by hopping on a bicycle and pedalling your way to a fully charged phone. Race against family or friends to heat 10ml of water from freezing to boiling using pedal power. This fun, interactive activity promotes teamwork, friendly competition, and teaches the principles of energy transformation—perfect for inspiring energy-conscious creativity! Delivered by Electric Pedals

Power Up the Electric Circuit

Bring a faulty electric circuit back to life! Test and diagnose the circuit to uncover hidden faults and get it working again with the help of a multimeter. Let us introduce you to the world of electronics as you learn to troubleshoot real-world problems. Can you find and fix all the faults to restore the power? Guided by the skilled team from Transition Town Ilford’s Volunteers.

The Human Body

Step into the fascinating world of the human body! Examine a life-size skeleton to learn about bones and joints, measure your heart rate and blood pressure, check your pulse and oxygen levels, and test your reflexes. Plus, give resuscitation a go with our mannequins! Discover how your body stays healthy and strong, with insights about UEL’s new Health Campus and all the Vision Health and Wellbeing team has to offer you. 

Carrom: A Game of Skill and Strategy

Test your skills with carrom, a game of strategy, physics, and precision! Carrom involves flicking discs into corner pockets, requiring players to understand angles, force, and trajectories—just like in physics! Strategic planning and hand-eye coordination are key, making this game a fun way to sharpen cognitive skills and reflexes. Take on the challenge and see how well you can play! Courtesy of Redbridge Museum

IMPORTANT: The activities will run from 11 am to 3 pm. All times are approximate and could change on the day. They are all free and drop-in, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that if the library reaches capacity, we will allow access on a one-in, one-out basis. As this is a free event, having a ticket DOES NOT guarantee entry to the activities on offer if we reach capacity. Photography & videography will take place at this event.