A day of fabulous, free, science based fun for the family will be on offer at Oxford Brookes University on March 20, as part of this year’s Oxfordshire Science Festival.

Brookes Science Bazaar will run from 11.00am until 4pm at Headington Campus, Gipsy Lane. Building on the success of last year’s event, there will be more new sessions and some of last year’s favourites too.

Oxford Brookes’ scientists and students will be on hand to take you on a trip to the microcosmos by way of Brookes’ big microscopes and help you write 3D computer games like The Sims or design build and test your own rocket car!

The event will provide a one stop shop for these and more hands on activities with drop in sessions, workshops and the popular science challenge quiz.

Most activities are suitable for children aged five and over with some for the eight-plus age group. The event is free and there is no need to book in advance. All you need is curiosity.

The workshops will run throughout the day and will explore questions such as, how can dinosaurs move so fast? Why does food taste better when cooked? How does a baby develop?

And how can animals survive in the arctic?

There will be a chance to see like a fly, try some strange new smells, create a lab coat work of art, discover more about our favourite fruits, tackle some brain teasers and puzzles in our FunMaths Roadshow and learn about foods with added ingredients for our health.

In addition there will be an opportunity to participate in a university challenge style quiz to win a prize by entering as a team of four or joining up with others on the day.

Those who want to start the fun now can also bid for a prize by tweeting a favourite science fact theory or definition on Twitter using #oxsf and less than 135 characters. Closing date is March 20.

There will also be freebies for all on the day.

Professor Jeya Henry, director of the Functional Food Centre at Brookes’ School of Llife Sciences, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming young people to Brookes Science Bazaar to take part in all the activities we have laid on.

“Science is part of our everyday life and totally fascinating. We aim to show people how exciting science can be and perhaps entice them to find out more.”

Oxford Brookes is a founding partner of the festival and other partners are The Medical Research Council, Oxford Inspires, Oxford Natural History Museum, Science Oxford, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, University ofOxford and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics The Oxfordshire Science Festival aims to make science real and fun for everyone, even for those who think science is not for them.

■ Full details of all events can be found at: www.oxfordshiresciencefestival.co.uk