NI Maths Fest 2026 returns to Derry's Foyle Arena

PICTURED ABOVE: NI MATHS FEST 2026 LAUNCH. . . .The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Ruairi McHugh pictured at the Foyle Arena on Wednesday morning for the launch of the Northern Ireland Maths Fest 2026. Included in Sumeeta Gupta, event organiser and various funders and volunteers. This year's event will take place on Thursday and Friday, January 22/23. (Photo: Jim McCafferty Photography)

NI Maths Fest 2026 is back and will take place on Thursday/Friday, January 22/23 at the city’s Foyle Arena, bringing the largest celebration of maths in Northern Ireland back for another inspiring year.

Building on the success of NI Maths Fest 2025, the 2026 Festival has engaged over 35 schools from all across Northern Ireland, alongside leading STEM organisations and local businesses who champion maths as a vital life skill.

This free event will again engage primary school children, secondary school children and their parents in activities and talks to help demystify maths, teach practical tips for using maths in our daily lives and build confidence in supporting children to learn maths.

The two-day Maths Fest is open to primary schools to visit on Day 1 and to the public including post primary students and parents on Day 2.

Sponsoring businesses and professional services organisations include Alchemy, EY, Terex, Benchmark Financial Solutions, DMJF Human Capital Ltd, Frylite Solutions, and Creative Activity, alongside educational partners North West Regional College, Ulster University, and Queen’s University. The festival is also proudly supported by Visit Derry, Londonderry Chambers of Commerce, Tower Museum, Brook Hall Outreach, Metadeck, Studio 2, North West Carnival Initiative, Hello Marketing, The WEB CREW, and Barclays. Together, these partners will deliver engaging projects and hands-on workshops exploring ancient mathematics and its lasting influence.

With almost 1,200 pupils, teachers, and volunteers already registered, NI Maths Fest 2026 promises two exciting days of curiosity, creativity, and cultural discovery—where history meets hands-on learning. 

Speaking at Wednesday’s official launch at the Foyle Arena, Sumeeta Gupta, Centre Director of Foyle Kumon Study Centre and Director of NI Maths Fest, said: ‘As a not-for-profit event, the festival is dedicated to making maths engaging, accessible, and enjoyable - helping to reduce anxiety around the subject while inspiring confidence and curiosity in learners of all ages.’

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This year’s theme, Maths Across Cultures, will take students on a fascinating journey through time, exploring how ancient civilisations - from Egypt and India to Greece and China - shaped the mathematics we use today.

Addressing the attendance at Wednesday’s launch, the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Ruairi McHugh added: ‘The Northern Ireland Maths Fest is a wonderful celebration of creativity and learning and I’m delighted to see this flagship event return to the Foyle Arena for 2026.

‘By bringing together schools, families, businesses and educators from across the North, the festival shows that maths is a vital life skill.

‘I would encourage schools, students and parents alike to take part in this inspiring event and discover how maths can be engaging, accessible and enjoyable for everyone.’

Those who attend the event will also uncover the origins of numbers, experiment with ancient counting systems, play traditional mathematical games, and learn clever tricks that have stood the test of time.

Emphasising the importance of attending, Ms. Gupta concluded: ‘Schools are encouraged to take part and allow students to discover that maths is more than numbers - it is a shared human story.’