Brothers Connor and Tyler Hardek are followed by a scale version of a Mars rover during the first day of the Martian New Year celebration 2017 in downtown Mars. A drone demonstration is planned Saturday during the Mars Exploration Celebration days this year.

MAIN STAGE

5 p.m. — Opening of Mars Exploration Celebration Days

6:30 p.m. — Live video chat with jet propulsion laboratory/Richard Rieber

7 p.m. — Mars costume contest

8 p.m. — “Let's Groove Tonight,” Earth, Wind & Fire tribute band

10 p.m. — Firefly drone show

MAIN STAGE11 a.m. — Day 2 openingNoon — Presentation: Mars and Beyond: What We Need to Get to Mars by April Lanotte of NASA1 p.m. — Presentation: Mars and More! by Carnegie Science Center2 p.m. — Presentation: Mars 2020 Rover Mission by Mitch Schulte of NASA3 p.m. — Drone demonstration by Patricio Beltran4 p.m. — Presentation: Moon to Mars Campaign by Douglas Terrier of NASA5 p.m. — The Gothies band

MAIN STAGE11 a.m. — Day 3 opening11 a.m. — Presentation by Sophia Bogat of NASA1 p.m. — Presentation: Insight Mission to Mars by Bruce Banerdt of NASA2 p.m. — Meet the Mars Challenge awards presentation2:30 p.m. — Music by the Sarah James Project

Butler County Commissioner Kim Geyer has fun with alien Annie Koch during the 2017 Mars New Year celebration. This year’s event will have a costume contest at Friday’s Exploration Celebration days.

Michaela Gogolin appears in the helmet of an space suit during the 2017 Martian New Year celebration.

Brownie the Space Dog appears with Jack Baumgartel at the alien costume contest during 2017 Martian New Year celebration.