E-Day returns to UK Feb. 28 to spark next generation of engineers
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 27, 2026) — A car powered by the sun. LEGO creations brought to life with 3D printers. An egg hurtling downward in a gravity-defying challenge.
For more than a century, Engineers Day — better known as E-Day — has transformed the University of Kentucky’s engineering complex into a hands-on playground for discovery.
On Saturday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering will welcome thousands of students, families and community members for its annual open house celebrating science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Sponsored by Xerox | Lexmark, the Asphalt Institute, Asphalt Institute Foundation, Lockheed Martin and Stantec, E-Day is free and open to the public.
Now in its 104th year, the event remains one of the largest STEM celebrations in Kentucky — drawing an estimated 3,000 attendees annually. E-Day features more than 120 interactive contests, demonstrations and exhibits designed to educate and entertain visitors of all ages.
“For more than 100 years, we’ve opened our doors to the community to share our passion for engineering,” Eric Sanders, co-chair of E-Day, said. “Each year, we see that spark of curiosity ignite in future engineers, problem-solvers and innovators. It’s exciting to watch that inspiration take root.”
For one UK faculty member, E-Day represents more than a long-standing college tradition — it reflects an entire engineering journey.
“It spans from volunteering as an undergraduate at Michigan State to participating as a graduate student and now helping lead it as a faculty member at UK,” said Czarena Crofcheck, Ph.D., professor of biosystems engineering. “I’ve seen how much undergraduates gain from sharing their engineering work with the community. It reinforces that engineering is ultimately about improving the human experience in every possible way.”
Having participated in E-Day for years, Crofcheck credits the event’s energy for bringing her back year after year.
“I come back for the people — the students, the families, the kids running from table to table and, of course, the popcorn and balloons,” she said. “E-Day is pure joy. If we spark an interest in engineering for even one student, that’s amazing. But what’s even more vital is showing all students that engineers make a real difference in the world.”
Throughout the day, attendees can explore what powers the modern world — from infrastructure and advanced manufacturing to artificial intelligence and biomedical innovation — while getting an up-close look at life as a UK engineering student or researcher.
One of the most anticipated competitions is the Egg Drop Contest. Participants design and build protective containers to prevent an uncooked egg from breaking when dropped approximately 30 feet — from the second floor of the Oliver H. Raymond Building to the basement below.
As hundreds of families fill the engineering complex, Crofcheck wants them to leave with a new perspective on the field.
“I’m incredibly grateful to every parent who takes the time to bring their family to E-Day,” she said. “I hope they leave with a sense of how creative, collaborative and people-centered engineering really is — and that their kids can see themselves as part of it one day.”
The first E-Day was held May 26, 1921, when the university dismissed classes at noon so the community could tour the college and observe engineering students and faculty in action. More than a century later, that spirit of access and engagement remains at the heart of the event.
“One of the reasons E-Day has lasted so long is that it’s an accessible, welcoming way for families to spend the day together while discovering something new,” Crofcheck said. “E-Day reminds students that engineering isn’t just something you study — it’s something you do for people.”
Parking will be free and available to the public in the Cornerstone Parking Garage, 409 S. Limestone.
Guests in grades K-12 will receive a Raising Cane’s Achievement Award. This free kids’ meal voucher can be redeemed at any Lexington Raising Cane’s location. Vouchers will be passed out at the check-in tent, while supplies last.
More information about E-Day is available online. For additional questions, contact eric.sanders@uky.edu.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.