Murfreesboro Municipal Airport in Tennessee will host its fifth annual STEAM Fest on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1930 Memorial Blvd. Admission is free. Visitors can see a CH-47 Chinook, a UH-60 Black Hawk, and Vanderbilt LifeFlight’s medical helicopter up close, try flight simulators, build paper airplanes, and tour MTSU’s aircraft engine lab. The event is part of the Discovery Center’s 10th annual Tennessee STEAM Festival.
STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art, and math. The airport’s version leans hard on the first and last letters: real aircraft, real engines, and the people who fly and fix them.
What’s on the Field
| Exhibitor | What to see |
|---|---|
| 101st Airborne Division | CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter |
| Tennessee Army National Guard | UH-60 Black Hawk |
| Vanderbilt LifeFlight | Medical evacuation helicopter |
| MTSU Aerospace | Aircraft, drones, jet and piston engines, engine lab tours |
| Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) | How airplanes fly |
| Civil Air Patrol | Its mission and community role |
| Charter operators | Large charter aircraft and smaller planes |
| City of Murfreesboro | Police, Fire Rescue, Street, Solid Waste, and Parks and Recreation vehicles and equipment |
At a September airport commission meeting, organizers also mentioned an Apache and “surprise participants.” Military aircraft depend on availability, so the final lineup may change on the day.
Things to Do
- Fly a simulator. Visitors can try a flight simulator, and the Microsoft Flight Simulator station lets you virtually fly a plane you just saw on the ramp.
- Build and test paper airplanes at the paper airplane station.
- Tour MTSU’s aircraft engine lab and see jet and piston engines on display.
- Learn how airplanes fly from EAA volunteers.
- Look inside working vehicles from city departments.
No real flights are listed. Everything airborne at this event happens in a simulator.
Why It’s Worth Going
Most aviation events show off airplanes. STEAM Fest puts the people who work with them on the ramp too.
Airport Director Chad Gehrke said the event lets children and adults talk with and question the professionals who use these vehicles every day. That’s the real value. A kid standing next to a Chinook can ask the crew chief what the job involves. A teenager at the engine lab can ask an MTSU student what an aerospace degree looks like. Those conversations are hard to get anywhere else.
In last year’s announcement, Gehrke said the experience “might spark the next pilot, engineer, or firefighter.” Past festivals have drawn more than 1,500 people.
For Parents: What to Ask While You’re There
A free four-hour event is a good chance to find out what comes next. A few questions worth asking at the booths:
- EAA: Ask about Young Eagles, EAA’s program that offers free introductory flights to young people ages 8 to 17 with volunteer pilots.
- Civil Air Patrol: Ask about the cadet program, which is open to youth from about age 12 (or 11 if in sixth grade) through 18 and includes aerospace education and orientation flights.
- MTSU Aerospace: Ask about degree paths, which cover more than flying: maintenance, unmanned systems, and aviation management among them.
- The military and medical crews: Ask what training their jobs required and how they started.
The goal isn’t to choose a career on a Saturday morning. It’s to leave with one specific next step.
Details at a Glance
- When: Saturday, October 17, 2026, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Where: Murfreesboro Municipal Airport, 1930 Memorial Blvd., Murfreesboro, Tennessee
- Cost: Free
- Who it’s for: All ages
- Part of: The Discovery Center’s 10th annual Tennessee STEAM Festival
The Bottom Line
This Saturday, a city airport near Nashville opens its ramp for four hours with military helicopters, a medical evacuation helicopter, a university engine lab, and the people who run them. It costs nothing. For a family with a kid who’s curious about aviation, it’s an easy morning, and a good place to find out about free programs like Young Eagles and Civil Air Patrol that can turn curiosity into a first flight.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is STEAM Fest at Murfreesboro Airport in 2026? Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Murfreesboro Municipal Airport, 1930 Memorial Blvd., Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It’s the airport’s fifth annual STEAM Fest and part of the Discovery Center’s 10th annual Tennessee STEAM Festival.
How much does STEAM Fest cost? Admission is free.
What aircraft will be at STEAM Fest? The announced lineup includes a CH-47 Chinook from the 101st Airborne Division, a UH-60 Black Hawk from the Tennessee Army National Guard, Vanderbilt LifeFlight’s medical evacuation helicopter, MTSU aircraft and drones, and charter and smaller aircraft. Organizers also mentioned an Apache and surprise participants at a September commission meeting. Military aircraft depend on availability.
Are there airplane rides at STEAM Fest? No real flights are listed. Visitors can fly flight simulators, including a Microsoft Flight Simulator station. For a real first flight, ask EAA volunteers about Young Eagles, which offers free introductory flights to young people ages 8 to 17.
Who organizes STEAM Fest? Murfreesboro Municipal Airport hosts it as part of the Discovery Center’s Tennessee STEAM Festival. Participants include MTSU Aerospace, the Experimental Aircraft Association, Civil Air Patrol, Vanderbilt LifeFlight, the 101st Airborne Division, the Tennessee Army National Guard, and several City of Murfreesboro departments.
Sources:
- Rutherford Source — STEAM Fest Returning to Murfreesboro Airport This Weekend (October 12, 2026)
- Citizen Portal — Steamfest Set for Oct. 17; Commission Coordinates Exhibits With Channel 2 and MTSU (September 2026)
- WGNS Radio — STEAM Takes Flight at Murfreesboro Airport With a Hands-On STEAM Fest (October 3, 2025)
- City of Murfreesboro — Airport STEAM Festival
- EAA — Young Eagles
- Civil Air Patrol — Cadet Programs
