Reach for the Sky Festival Returns to Spaceport Cornwall This July

Published On: 24 June 2025Last Updated: 24 June 2025By CornishStuff

Hands-on aviation festival returns with real aircraft, VR and inspiring speakers

Girls from across Cornwall are being invited to take the controls—literally—at Spaceport Cornwall next month, as the Reach for the Sky Festival returns on Saturday 5th July 2025.

Run by Cornwall-based social enterprise TECwomen CIC, the festival is back after a sell-out debut last year. It’s designed especially for girls aged 7 to 15 and their families, offering a hands-on experience of flight, engineering and technology, all from the unique setting of Spaceport Cornwall and Newquay Airport.

Real aircraft, real pilots and a front-row view of flight

With support from the Department for Transport and the UK Civil Aviation Authority, attendees will get an up-close look at planes taking off and landing, while exploring the science and tech that makes flight possible.

The event promises:

Real aircraft on display and the chance to meet their pilots and engineers
Flight simulators, VR experiences and drone demos
Over 20 interactive stands from aerospace, engineering and tech partners
A runway-side picnic area for families to relax and watch the skies
Talks from leading women in aviation, including Ruth Amos, award-winning inventor and presenter of Kids Invent Stuff on YouTube

Rikki-Louise Davies, Skills Lead at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:

“TECwomen are inspiring the next generation of female aviation and aerospace professionals in a fun-filled, impactful style. We can’t wait to see what summer brings.”

Tackling gender gaps in aviation and tech

The festival is part of a wider mission to help close the gender gap in aviation, engineering and tech. According to recent figures, only 6.5% of UK pilots and 15.7% of the tech and engineering workforce are women.

While the festival is open to all, it’s specially designed to give young girls early, positive exposure to careers they might not otherwise consider.

Big-name exhibitors and local partners

A wide range of organisations are taking part, including:
Google, Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, Royal Navy RNAS Culdrose, RAF Cadets, Scilly Skybus, Discovering 42, Cornwall College, Cornwall Airport Newquay, Cornwall Flying Club, Leonardo UK, Spaceport Cornwall, and many more.

Tickets available now

Tickets for the 2025 Reach for the Sky Festival are on sale now via the TECgirls website.

The event takes place at Spaceport Cornwall, Newquay Airport, on Saturday 5th July 2025.

To keep up with the latest cornish news follow us below

Leave A Comment Cancel reply

Follow CornishStuff on Facebook - Like our Facebook page to get the latest news in your feed and join in the discussions in the comments. Click here to give us a like!

Follow us on Twitter - For the latest breaking news in Cornwall and the latest stories, click here to follow CornishStuff on X.

Follow us on Instagram - We also put the latest news in our Instagram Stories. Click here to follow CornishStuff on Instagram.