Children and Youth Technology Festival

On Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Jelgava, in the territory next to the Jelgava Ice Hall, the large‑scale Children and Youth Technology Festival will take place for the second time. The event will bring together school pupils, students, teachers, and families from across Latvia and the Baltic states in one place to promote engineering and provide young people with a platform to demonstrate their technical innovations.

This year, the festival is being created with significant support from the foundation “Fonds AUGT”, which helps strengthen the accessibility of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education. Admission to the festival and participation in all activities is free of charge.

The festival programme is based on hands‑on activities and the courage of young people to create themselves — from self‑built electric vehicles to international‑level robotics battles.

One of the most anticipated and at the same time central events of the festival will be the electric vehicle energy efficiency competition “E‑Es”, which will take place for the fourth time. In it, teams of school pupils and students will compete in disciplines such as drag racing, eco‑lap, maneuvering through a course, and braking efficiency, demonstrating their engineering knowledge, creativity, and teamwork. Teams will participate not only from Latvia but also from neighboring countries. Many teams have been designing and building their electric vehicles since last autumn.

“Young people need an environment where ideas can be turned into real projects and technologies can be explored in practice. The Technology Festival is a place where young people can not only demonstrate their skills but also inspire others to create and experiment,” says Daiga Bukonte, the author of the festival concept and project manager.

This year, for the first time, participants’ performance will also be assessed through a theoretical knowledge test on automotive engineering. Visitors will also be delighted by the Exhibition of Technically Creative Works, in which approximately 150 participants will showcase self‑developed engineering projects that are combined in an unusual way with the theme of Latvian folk beliefs.

The representative of the “Fonds AUGT” emphasizes that investments in youth technical creativity form the basis for the country’s future innovations: “Our goal is to support initiatives that not only spark a natural interest in exact sciences among children and young people and allow them to turn theory into real, tangible projects, but also seek ways to develop creativity. The Technology Festival in Jelgava is an excellent example of how, as a result of the dedicated work of teachers, a platform for future engineers and scientists is being created. Seeing the enthusiasm of young people as they build their first cars, program robots, or develop creative projects, we are pleased to help this movement grow and develop on a broader scale.”

In parallel with the exhibitions and car competitions, the Zemgale regional stage of the Latvian Robotics Championship will take place during the festival, where participants will compete in 14 different disciplines, including drone races and exciting robot battles. Meanwhile, enthusiasts of sharper minds will be able to watch or participate themselves in Rubik’s Cube speed‑solving competitions.

Throughout the day, festival visitors — both young and old — will have access to free STEAM creative workshops, impressive science shows, a welding competition, as well as an entertainment programme featuring a theatre sports tournament and performances by young musicians on stage. During the festival, it will be possible to try out various technologies, explore the world of engineering in a practical way, and meet young people who are already creating future solutions today.

The event is organised by Jelgava Technology Secondary School in cooperation with the Jelgava City Municipality and the foundation “Fonds AUGT”.

More detailed information about the event programme, regulations, and application forms is available on the website: www.tehnologijufestivals.lv

About the organisers: Jelgava Technology Secondary School is an educational institution that purposefully implements study programmes with an in‑depth focus on engineering, technology, and creative thinking, creating a modern and technologically advanced learning environment for young people.