June 14, 2026 12-4 PM

https://www.cityofastronomy.org/astrofest2026

Organization Steps in Advance

• Contact partners to identify interest in participation.
• Select a date.
• Work with Mayor's office (Vannia) to identify if this is feasible.
• Talk to Pasadena Convention Center (Gianna) to identify what is feasible: date, layout, indoors, outdoors, power, etc.
• Confirm participation from partners and how many tables needed.
• Identify if there are other activities that will happen throughout the week, who organizes, etc.
• Produce / obtain posters and blurbs for each additional activity and post to website.
• Request tables+chairs+auditorium space from convention center. Work within confines of AAS or sponsoring organization.
• Identify activities for Caltech Astro component: solar, s'mores, comet, meteorites, spectroscopy, VR headsets, DSA, welcome booth.
• Request volunteer participation from Caltech + CalStateLA.
• Identify presenters from each organization for public presentations. Get titles from each person.
• Update City of Astronomy website with relevant details.
• Design a poster to advertise the event.
• Advertise the event through social media channels, website, Caltech calendar.
• Forward on poster/info to partner institutions, including mayor's office to help advertise.
• Contact Pasadena Now, LAist, and Colorado Blvd to help advertise.
• Identify layout of activities and design map of event. Post to website.
• Design schedule of talks at event. Post to website.
• Have banner, map, and schedule printed to posterboard for display at the festival (FedEx).
• Identify that all teams have sufficient shade for outdoor activities. We now possess 5 EZ-UP shade structures to assist.
• Procure sandbags to help weigh down each shade structure. Jeff Rich has some.
• Procure all supplies for outreach demos: s'mores, dry ice, comet materials, spectroscopy lamps, meteorites, DSA equipment, VR headsets.
• Create visual aids for each table and laminate (Staples or Office Depot).
• Print flyers for welcome table about subsequent educational events in the week.
• Procure water and snacks for the event for the volunteers. Ensure enough water.
• Contact local dignitaries about participation: Congresswoman Chu, Mayor Gordo. Write formal invitations with description of their role.
• Request parking access at Planetary Society parking lot for volunteer usage.
• Write instructional emails to partners and volunteers, giving them all relevant information and schedule.
• Identify brief introductory remarks for each presenter, and for the dignitaries.
• Identify a photographer who can be on hand to photograph the event as well as the dignitaries.
• Host an information session for volunteers to instruct them on how to prepare to operate the demos (could be a YouTube demo).

Day of Event Steps

• Deliver all items to convention center. Probably takes two cars. (~1.5h before start).
• Tables and chairs are set up by city, but we set up shade structures, activities, and possibly A/V equipment in auditorium.
• Coordinate volunteers to help set everything up (~1h before start).
• Host event and ensure everything goes OK.
• Introduce each of the speakers.
• Host dignitaries.
• Photo opportunities with partners and dignitaries.
• At the end of the event, help take everything down and coordinate volunteers.
• Deliver all items back to Caltech and unload.

Afterward Steps

• Request photos from photographer.
• Assemble photo album with relevant highlight photos (google photos).
• Contact all volunteers and thank them for their contributions, while inviting them to submit their own photo highlights to the album.
• Contact all partners and thank them for their contributions, while inviting them to submit their own photo highlights to the album.
• Contact all presenters and thank them for their contributions, while inviting them to submit their own photo highlights to the album.
• Contact dignitaries and thank them for their contributions, while inviting them to submit their own photo highlights to the album.
• Contact sponsoring organizations (AAS, DSA, convention center) and thank them for their contributions, while inviting them to submit their own photo highlights to the album.
• Update website with photos.
• Post on social media information about the event along with a few selected photographs.
• Consider never doing outreach again.