FIRST Tech Challenge Chesapeake Championship | Doswell, VA

Free and family-friendly. Watch over 100 student robotics teams from DC, MD, and VA compete for the FIRST Tech Challenge Chesapeake title! The best robots in the region. Two days of student competition FIRST Tech Challenge Chesapeake Championship Saturday, February 6 and Sunday, February 7, 2027 | 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM both days Meadow Event Park, 13111 Dawn Blvd, Doswell, VA 23047 FIRST® Chesapeake invites you to the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC®) Chesapeake Championship, the final event of the BIOBUZZ™ season, presented by RTX. The top 104 middle and high school teams from DC, Maryland, and Virginia earned their spot at qualifiers this winter. Now they compete for the Chesapeake title and a chance to advance to the FIRST Championship in Houston. Admission is free, and spectators of all ages are welcome both days. RSVP is optional but helps us plan, and you can add a donation to support students across the region. What is FIRST Tech Challenge? FIRST Tech Challenge students learn to think like engineers. Teams of 2 to 15 students, ages 12 to 18, design, build, and code robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Along the way, they document their work in an engineering notebook, raise funds, build a team brand, and give back through community outreach. The result is more than a robot. Students build teamwork, conflict resolution, public speaking, and leadership skills. FIRST Chesapeake inspires and prepares young people across Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. for the future through mentor-based, hands-on robotics programs. What to expect as a spectator • Two divisions. Teams split into the Blue Crab Division and the Red Cardinal Division, 52 teams each. Each division runs its own playoffs, and the two division winners meet in the Chesapeake Final on Sunday afternoon. • Saturday: the competition begins. Teams interview with judges and run practice matches in the morning. The opening ceremony starts at 11:00 AM, followed by qualification matches. • Sunday: championship day. Final qualification matches lead into alliance selection, division playoffs, the Chesapeake Final, and the awards ceremony. • Head-to-head matches. Two-team alliances face off on the field. Each match opens with an autonomous period, when robots run on student-written code alone, then shifts to drivers taking the controls. • A lot of energy. Expect music, an emcee, and cheering from the stands. It gets loud, so consider ear protection for young children. A quiet room is open both days. • Competition with kindness. In FIRST, teams compete hard and still help each other, lending parts and advice to the alliance they may face in the next match. We call it Gracious Professionalism. Explore with the My FIRST STEM Passport Take a self-guided tour of five stops at your own pace: the pits, the field, scouting, talking with a team, and the Tech Mixer. Collect four of five stamps from team members or volunteers to earn a completion certificate aligned to the Virginia SOLs and an entry in our raffle. Bring a group Groups of 10 or more can request a guided visit led by a student ambassador: • Saturday, 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM • Saturday, 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM (after the opening ceremony) • Sunday, 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM Request a visit at firstchesapeake.org/ftc/championship-27, and we'll follow up to confirm your time. Plan your visit • Getting there: Enter off Rt. 30 through Gate 3. Parking is free in Lot F. • Food: Concessions are available on site both days. • Can't make it in person? Every match streams live with student commentary on the FIRST Chesapeake YouTube channel. • Want your student involved? Learn about FIRST Tech Challenge at firstchesapeake.org/ftc. • Support the season: Add a donation to your RSVP, or give at firstchesapeake.org/support. Judges wanted: our most-needed role Judges talk with student teams about their work, their journey, and what they built, then help recognize them. It's one of the most rewarding seats in the building, and you don't need a technical background. We train you before the event. Judging also puts you in the room with engineers, educators, business leaders, and fellow volunteers from across DC, Maryland, and Virginia, plus the students who will become the region's next workforce. Saturday's volunteer and alumni appreciation event is a chance to connect with them. Referees, queuers, and pit support volunteers are needed too. Find your fit at www.firstchesapeake.org/volunteer.