What’s new at Mars New Year 2025?
Anticipation has been building in Mars for the 2025 Mars New Year, an event held every other year to coincide with the solar cycle of the planet. Plans for this year’s event, which is scheduled for June 6 and 7, are set.
The biennial event, a two-day community festival, is dedicated to celebrating the new year on the red planet.
“This is our sixth Mars New Year celebration, and I think it’s shaping up to be one of our best,” said Gregg Hartung, mayor of Mars. “We are welcoming some innovative changes, including a captivating light show featuring 200 drones flying above the borough.”
The festival offers immersive and educational space-related experience for all ages, featuring 23 exhibits, as well as food and entertainment.
Each of the two days of the festival will conclude with an aerial display of drones against the night sky. While previous Mars New Year events have featured a drone show, Hartung said that this year’s display will be bigger and better.
“Typically in the past we’ve had 100 drones, but we’ve added another 100 drones to the show this year,” Hartung said.
The borough has wrangled a collection of guest speakers from the space and robotics communities to appear at Mars New Year, including Dr. Soyeon Yi — the first South Korean ever in space — and Dr. Jim Green, former head scientist for NASA.
Another guest speaker at the event is Mackenzie Sloan, a graduate of Seneca Valley High School who is now making major contributions to America’s current space efforts.
“She works for NASA. She’s coming from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral,” Hartung said. “She works on the launch system for the SLS, where they send rockets to the moon.”
Another major part of the event is the Robotics Village, a 2,000-square-foot space to showcase the latest in robotics technology, and for local robotics club members to demonstrate their talents.
Seventeen youth robotics teams from the FIRST Robotics Challenge and other competitions are showcasing their creations, along with the University of Pittsburgh and the West Virginia University Department of Physics and Astronomy.
“Two major universities in the area are participating,” Hartung said. “That’s new for us, to have those schools be here.”
Another new addition is the Martian Melodies Concert, to be held at the United Presbyterian Church on Crowe Avenue at 6 p.m. Saturday night.
An orchestra comprised mainly of high school students will play a selection of space-themed music, including music from “Star Wars” and Gustav Holst’s “The Planets” suite. The orchestra also will debut an original space-themed composition by award-winning composer Dr. John M. Kennedy.
What the weekend includes:
NASA: Space Ambassadors will play a central role in the festival, bringing interactive educational exhibits and showcasing a variety of artifacts that illuminate the wonders of space. All weekend, retired and current NASA professionals deliver engaging presentations on space exploration and STEAM-related topics, offering unique insights.
Drone Show: Firefly Drone Shows will feature state-of-the-art machines that will synchronize mid-air in mesmerizing shows that will illuminate the skies above Mars.
Martian Melodies Concert: The Martian Melodies Orchestra, comprised of local musicians, will play along to NASA’s stunning imagery from its space missions. Accompanying video of actual Martian rovers will be classics from John Williams, Gustav Holst and Ludwig Goransson.
New in 2025: Guest composer John M. Kennedy will perform an original composition celebrating space and Mars. Pittsburgh Rocket Club will launch model rockets that propel upward before floating back to earth.
Mars STEAM Challenge: Visitors of all ages can see what it takes to live, work and thrive on the red planet. Students will be displaying projects to help colonize Mars.
Martian of the Year Award: One member of the Mars community will be awarded for his or her work in STEAM education by the Mars New Year organization.
