The SCICON BBQ and Wildflower Festival is sponsored by Tulare County Office of Education and the Friends of SCICON. The BBQ is held annually on the third Sunday in April. This is a day when families and individuals of all ages are invited to tour and enjoy the SCICON campus. Festivities begin at 11:00 a.m. and last until 4:00 p.m. Admission is free and all BBQ visitors receive a commemorative wildflower poster by local Springville artist Frances Pyles.

At the BBQ, SCICON staff are on hand to lead wildflower walks and nature hikes. The SCICON museum of natural history, the planetarium, and the observatory are open all day, while wildlife shows can be seen in the SCICON Raptor Center. Resource agencies such as Sequoia National Forest, CAL FIRE, and the Tulare County Conservation Corps will have educational displays and activities. There are special activities just for children such as building bird nesting boxes, face painting and meeting “Smokey the Bear.”   

Two thousand pounds of beef is served with the famous SCICON BBQ sauce as part of the barbecue lunch available. Meal ticket donations are $20.00 for adults, $15.00 for seniors (sixty and over)/veteran's and $15.00 for children (twelve and under). All proceeds from the meal go to the Friends of SCICON to benefit the SCICON program.