With standing-room-only talks, packed-out family events, and thought-provoking debate on some of the most important issues of our time, Cambridge Festival 2025 has set a new benchmark for public engagement with research.
“Where else can you go to learn about decoding whale longevity and the ethics of cancer screening to chasing bats, debating AI’s place in democracy, and hearing a room gasp as Michael Rosen walks in? said Festival Manager David Cain. “This year’s Festival felt like the city itself came alive with ideas—unexpected, thought-provoking, sometimes surreal, and always buzzing. We’ve never seen this level of curiosity and connection.”
Festival in numbers & standouts
- Over 10,000 people attended the Family Weekend (March 29–30), where 1,000 people were trained in CPR with festival partners East Anglian Air Ambulance.
- Over 500 KS2 and KS3 school pupils took part in the festival’s school days.
- 150 students from 11 different schools across the county debated climate change in the Cambridge Union's historic chamber.
- All keynote talks at the historic Cambridge Union were complete sell-outs—including Professor David Spiegelhalter’s talk on risk and uncertainty, which had audiences standing at the back.
- One of the standout sessions was Dr Alex Cagan’s talk The Impossibility of Whales, where he revealed that some whales alive today still carry harpoons from the late 1800s. “Alex is a new star of the Festival,” said Deputy Festival Manager Zoe Smith.
- Families were captivated by The Bat Hunt at the Vet School Open Day (March 22), and the Xolu Dakar bi exhibition drew powerful engagement around global urban identities.
- There was an audible gasp as beloved author Michael Rosen walked into the lecture theatre during the Family Weekend, creating one of the most heartwarming moments of the entire festival.
Artificial intelligence: innovation meets ethics
The 2025 Festival took a deep dive into how AI is transforming lives, raising vital questions about power, access and identity.
- A virtual tour of Dawn, the UK’s most powerful AI supercomputer, revealed how Cambridge is driving breakthroughs in climate science and medicine.
- Public got hands-on with ai@cam’s projects tackling local government and climate challenges.
- Professors Neil Lawrence and Diane Coyle led a sell-out session on how AI is changing human identity.
- A high-level panel explored how AI can transform public service delivery, with leaders from Cambridge City and South Cambs councils.
- The Hopes and Fears Lab (April 3) offered a safe, creative space for the public to reflect on AI’s possibilities—and pitfalls.
The brain in focus: mental health, consciousness and wellbeing
As headlines continue to spotlight mental health, the Festival offered an essential platform to explore the brain and human experience through groundbreaking science and honest storytelling.
- Brain Boost with Professors Barbara Sahakian and Christelle Langley shared science-backed strategies for better brain health.
- Professor Jane Aspell’s talk My Self and My Brain looked at consciousness and out-of-body experiences.
- James Piercy, brain injury survivor, offered moving insights into recovery in What’s Going On in His Head.
- The Ideological Brain (April 1) saw Dr Leor Zmigrod explain why some minds are more susceptible to extremism.
- Dr Sumru Bayin’s research on brain regeneration and All in Her Mind, a powerful panel on women’s mental health, brought fresh urgency and insight to issues too often overlooked.
Health & hope: from cancer ethics to regenerative therapies
This year’s programme featured more than 130 events dedicated to health, ageing, genetics, and wellbeing:
- AI-assisted music therapy, mini-lung organoids, and polymer heart valves offered a peek into future medicine
- Cancer screening and ethics sparked debate about innovation, accessibility, and informed consent
- Genomic research revealed how whales, tortoises and elephants could help us understand healthy longevity
- Events explored the intersection of creativity, trauma and recovery, including the role of art in health care
Power, politics and the past
This year’s sold-out political and historical programme delved into questions of democracy, memory, and identity:
- Professor Martin A. Ruehl offered a timely deep dive into What is Fascism?
- Professor Philippe Sands stunned audiences with 38 Londres Street, exposing hidden truths about war criminals and international law
- Events re-examined race and identity in medieval England, early Anglo-Saxon saints, and post-colonial archives
- Audiences explored everything from King Arthur’s political legacy to partition politics through inscriptions, poetry, and oral histories
Families, creativity and co-creation
The Festival's family and youth events were once again a huge hit, with children building bridges, exploring earthquakes, and having lots of fun with arcade games, treasure hunts and escape rooms. Whilst community partnerships brought events into libraries, neighbourhood centres and local museums, widening access to world-class ideas and research.
A festival that belongs to everyone
Early audience feedback has captured the impact and inclusivity of this year’s programme:
“It was such a refreshing change to have an event for town people—especially Black town people—and to be in a University building.”
“A wonderful event. We feel privileged to hear talks from these experts, and to have them be willing to take questions from children.”
“The Festival is fantastic! Thank you very much for all the hard work that goes into this wonderful annual event.”
Zoe Smith, Deputy Festival Manager, reflected on the energy of this year’s celebration:
“The feedback has been phenomenal. The Festival is about connecting communities to knowledge – and this year, that connection felt stronger than ever.”
