Substuting for the surface of the planet Mars, Maddie Salapow watches as a model rover rolls over her.

MARS — Some of the children at the Mars New Year celebration that continues today may grow up to work on a mission to the planet with the same name.

“The kids you see here today are the Mars explorers of tomorrow,” said David Steitz, public affairs officer with NASA on Friday.

Today will continue the inaugural Mars celebration of New Year's on the plant Mars. Visitors downtown can see food vendors, arts and crafts activities, NASA displays, and Carnegie Science Center and University of Pittsburgh science exhibits.

Friday was the vernal equinox for the northern hemisphere of Mars, which was chosen by scientists as the beginning of the year there.

NASA has brought 14 scientists and engineers to the Mars New Year to do STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) demonstrations and exhibits.

Space travel and dinosaurs tend to be topics that capture the imaginations of children, Steitz said.

“It's so captivating to them. It's so alien. It's so 'why not,'” he said.

The activities end about 4 p.m. today.

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NASA'S April Lanotte demonstrating changes in atmospheric pressure between Earth and space with Lucan and Arianna Stuart and Caleb Fotia.