Join us for our free public and family events for the annual Cambridge Festival!
The Cambridge Festival is an annual celebration sharing the huge range and breadth of the University's work with the public. From hands-on family events to talks, find out more below about this year's events involving staff and students from the Mathematics Faculty.
Hands-On Maths Fair
Saturday 22 March 2025, 11.00am to 4.00pm
Venue: Centre for Mathematical Sciences
Join us for this free family event - part of the 2025 Cambridge Festival.
"A mathematician, like a painter or a poet, is a maker of patterns," wrote the famous Cambridge mathematician G.H. Hardy.
Find out what patterns you can discover and develop your problem-solving skills with hands-on mathematical activities and games. Join volunteer staff and students from the Cambridge Mathematics Faculty to explore, experiment, discover, question and enjoy!
This free family event is part of the 2025 Cambridge Festival. No booking needed - drop in throughout the event (11am - 4pm).
The Maths Cafe will be open throughout the event to 3pm, serving hot and cold drinks, snacks and sandwiches.
Suitable for ages 8+, with a range of activities tailored for ages 8-15. Please note that all under-16s must be accompanied by a supervising adult.
The Art of Uncertainty: Living with Chance, Ignorance, Risk and Luck
Wednesday 2 April 2025, 8.00pm to 9.00pm
Venue: Cambridge Union Society, Bridge Street, Cambridge
Speaker: Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter FRS (Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, University of Cambridge)
We live in a world where uncertainty is inevitable. How should we deal with what we don’t know? And what role do chance, luck and coincidence play in our lives?
David Spiegelhalter has spent his career dissecting data in order to understand risks and assess the chances of what might happen in the future. In his recent book The Art of Uncertainty, he gives readers a window onto how we can all do this better.
Drawing on a wide range of captivating real-world examples, this is an essential guide to navigating uncertainty while also having the humility to admit what we do not know.
David Spiegelhalter is Emeritus Professor of Statistics in the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, University of Cambridge.
Suitable for ages 12+. The event is free but pre-booking is essential.
More information and how to book
This public talk is part of the 2025 Cambridge Festival. For more information and the booking link please see the Cambridge Festival website.