Aligning with the Route 66 Centennial, The Festival is proud to commemorate this historic milestone with unique lectures and activities in 2026.  The Festival will take place Sept. 25 – Oct. 4.

To launch the free, 10-day adventure, the Festival will bring featured speaker, technology leader Kirk Dunsavage, whose talk explores the intersection of science, engineering, and the human spirit of exploration.

Dunsavage spent 27 years at Intel Corporation in technical and leadership roles, followed by two years with the Williams Formula 1 Racing Team as Senior Technology Manager and Head of Software Development. He currently serves as Chief Technology Officer at PRC-Saltillo, where he leads efforts to develop technologies that empower individuals with speech and language impairments to communicate and thrive.

Dunsavage delivers the W. L. Gore & Associates Keynote Presentation scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, in Northern Arizona University’s Ardrey Auditorium. Dunsavage will cover how simulation, digital modeling, and telemetry enable engineers to transform bold ideas into reality under extreme constraints. The talk will address themes of resilience, transformation, and reinvention.

“Curiosity is the spark that ignites discovery,” says Elizabeth Vogler, Executive Director of the Flagstaff Festival of Science. “This year’s theme reflects our community’s passion for asking questions, exploring new ideas, and inspiring the next generation of scientists, innovators, and problem-solvers.”