Derry ‘Maths in the City’ promises sum craic for all the family

Derry will be buzzing with numbers, puzzles and fun as Maths in the City — the centrepiece of Maths Week in Northern Ireland — takes place in the Guildhall this Saturday, October 18 from 11am to 4pm.

The free, family-friendly festival will transform the Guildhall into a vibrant playground of problem-solving, discovery and entertainment, with activities for all ages — from giant floor puzzles and tabletop challenges to dazzling shows by international maths magicians and entertainers.

This year’s Maths in the City is part of Maths Week Ireland’s 20th anniversary celebrations, marking two decades of inspiring people across the island to discover the joy and creativity in maths.

Eoin Gill, Co-Founder and Director of Maths Week Ireland, said: “It’s great to bring Maths in the City to Derry this year. We always have strong engagement in the North West through the coordination of our partners here, and we’re delighted to bring an international team of performers to join our maths team at the Guildhall on Saturday where we’ll have activities for all ages.”

Visitors can meet some of the biggest names in maths entertainment, including the internationally renowned Maths Magician Andrew Jeffrey and Oxford/Cambridge mathematician Dr Tom Crawford (known online as ‘Tom Rocks Maths’). The event will also feature interactive displays from the Maths Week Ireland team and guest performers from across Europe, including recreational mathematician Dr Tiago Hirth from Portugal.

Now in its 20th year, Maths Week has grown into the world’s largest maths festival, reaching over five million participants since its launch in 2005. In Northern Ireland alone, more than 100,000 people take part annually through school workshops, lectures, trails and public events.

Mr Gill added: “As we look ahead, maths will be central to our progress and prosperity. It drives innovation, fuels creativity and shapes the solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. The task for the next 20 years is to ensure that every child in every community can see themselves as capable of doing maths. The legacy of Maths Week will be a generation of problem solvers and innovators who see maths as part of who they are and as a key to building our shared future.”

The Maths in the City initiative brings maths out of the classroom and onto the streets and city squares of Ireland — showing that everyone, young or old, can enjoy exploring numbers, patterns and puzzles.

This year’s Northern Ireland Maths in the City centrepiece is being held in Derry for the first time, following previous years’ success in Belfast’s Victoria Centre. The Republic of Ireland will host similar events in Dublin and Cork.

Whether you’re nine or ninety, curious about codes or simply love a good challenge, there’s sum craic waiting for everyone in Derry this weekend!