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Posted on: April 26, 2023

10th Annual North Carolina Gravity Games this Saturday

Racers at the starting gate during the 2018 NC Gravity Games, April 28, 2018

The 10th Annual North Carolina Gravity Games is this Saturday, April 29, 2023, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm in Downtown Lenoir. The free, action-packed event is fun for the entire family.

The North Carolina Gravity Games is a landmark STEM-education festival and racing extravaganza. Students use science, technology, engineering and math to build and race their own gravity-powered cars. The races take place on Ashe Avenue in Downtown Lenoir.

“Google is proud to be a founder of the NC Gravity Games and to see its return for the 10th year. We’re privileged to work with such committed partners and thrilled with the ingenuity of North Carolina’s young engineers,” says Lilyn Hester, Google’s head of public affairs in the southeast. “We look forward to waving the checkered flag again in April and continuing this exciting STEM tradition.”

Racers ready at the starting gate during the 2018 NC Gravity Games, April 28, 2018A girl bolts a tire onto a NASCAR race car during the 2019 NC Gravity Games, April 27, 2019
Two girls stand beside their race car during the 2019 NC Gravity Games, April 27, 2019A young man stands beside his race car during the 2019 NC Gravity Games, April 27, 2019


In addition to car racing, there will be a Science Street expo and a Street Fest.

The Science Street expo will include exhibits from:

  • STEMWest
  • Catawba Science Center
  • Charlotte Motor Speedway
  • Appalachian Airsports
  • First Robotics NC
  • App State Geology
  • App State Solar Vehicle Team
  • App State PandA (Physics and Astronomy) Club
  • App State Astronomy
  • App State Robotics Team
  • Caldwell County Schools’ Coding Bus and Robotics Teams

The Street Fest will have free games including a Radical Run 95-foot Obstacle Course and Hot Shot Basketball. There will also be Connect Four Shots, Crazy Cones Game, and a Face-To-Face-Race Climbing Wall.

Three racers take a break n pit row during the 2019 NC Gravity Games, April 27, 2019Kids play with connecting toys during the 2019 NC Gravity Games, April 27, 2019
The Lenoir Fire and Police cars race during the 2019 NC Gravity Games, April 27, 2019A young woman shows off a tarantula during the 2019 NC Gravity Games, April 27, 2019


"The North Carolina Gravity Games is an amazing event," City of Lenoir Mayor Joe Gibbons said. "There is racing, STEM activities, games, a lot of really fun things to do. Students and parents come from across North Carolina to take part. I want to thank Google for starting the event back in 2010, and I want to thank all the sponsors and everyone who participates to make it a success. It's a really great event. We're proud to host it here in Lenoir, North Carolina, and we want to keep it going for many years to come."

Since its start in 2010, the N.C. Gravity Games & Street Fest has brought more than 500 student teams from across to the competition. The event didn't take place from 2020 to 2022 due to pandemic precautions.

The North Carolina Gravity Games is sponsored by Google, Appalachian State University, the University of North Carolina via the NC Science Festival, the City of Lenoir, and Downtown Lenoir. For more information, please visit www.ncgravitygames.com.

Two boys play with magnets in Science Street during the 2018 NC Gravity Games, April 28, 2018People walk out of Science Street during the 2019 NC Gravity Games, April 27, 2023

Gravity Games 2023 parking map

The parking areas shown above in green are for the car racing participants only. The parks areas shown in blue are for the general public.

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