DNA's big anniversary has not been allowed to just slip away with only a few geneticists raising a cheer: the public are also being involved.

Celebrations got off to a serious start in the UK with a public forum on “Genetics and the Search for Safer Drugs” (6 February, Royal College of Physicians, London). Science festivals in March (24–30, Wrexham) and April (17–22, Edinburgh, Scotland) promise to be more light-hearted, with DNA-based public lectures, discussion forums and interactive workshops. Interaction is also a big part of Kew Garden's celebratory event “DNA in the Garden” (29 March–11 May, London).

Double helix fever is also gripping the US, particularly in New York where numerous organizations are taking part in a host of activities under the DNA festival banner. One exhibition promises to tell the story of New York and DNA, placing the discovery in an historical and social context (New York Public Library, 25 February–29 August).

Some events are considerably less public: the DNA gala dinner at the Waldorf Astoria (28 February, New York) was an invite-only affair. Similarly, the flagship celebratory dinner in the UK (23 April, Guildhall, London) will have a restricted guest list, probably featuring the prime minister, members of the royal family, Nobel laureates and, if guest of honour James Watson has his way, Michael Caine, Sean Connery and soccer-star David Beckham!

Watson, surely the busiest man in the world this year, has also been invited to unveil a plaque at the Eagle pub where Francis Crick famously declared to puzzled drinkers on 28 February 1953 “We have uncovered the secret of life” (25 April, Cambridge, UK). Of course, Crick's exclamation came after he and Watson had put together a model of the double helix. Consequently, DNA models feature in several celebratory events including the Watson-adorned DNA50 events at the International Centre for Life (14–17 April, Newcastle, UK).

Maurice Wilkins is also a man in demand in this anniversary year, with appearances at public events in Cambridge (“Who Twists the Helix?”, The University Centre, 17–19 March) and London (“DNA Past, Present and Future”, King's College, 22 April).

Anyone not able to attend these events will still be able to get into the spirit of the celebration: “National DNA Day” (25 April) will be celebrated by high schools throughout the USA, and in the UK a special DNA £2 coin will be a nice souvenir for any double helix buff.

So, there is no excuse for the public not be involved in the party this year and let us hope that they do get involved because, as Watson says, “DNA is for the world, not just science”.