Mention of Disney Channel’s “Phineas and Ferb” may be what drew thousands to Peterson Air Force Base’s Patriot Park on Saturday, but it wasn’t what kept them there.

Nearly 2,000 youngsters and parents turned out for the base’s first science fair, which featured activities like paper-rocket launching, underwater robot racing and ice cream making using liquid nitrogen.

The fair’s 30 educational booths drew larger crowds than the Disney duo.

“When the kids heard ‘Phineas and Ferb,’ they came flocking,” said Tracey Tomme, president of the Challenger Learning Center of Colorado.

“But there’s more of them at the booths than over there,” she added, nodding toward “Phineas and Ferb LIVE,” the cartoon characters’ traveling road show that had set up shop in the corner of the park.

For Tomme, all went according to plan: Attract young military families to the park using their favorite cartoon characters and turn them on to science, math, engineering and technology when they arrived.

The plan certainly worked on Air Force Master Sgt. Chad Williams’ family.

He brought his son, Dylan, 8, to Saturday’s event because of his love for “Phineas and Ferb” — and science.

“I thought it would be good for him,” Williams said. “Our favorite activity was making rockets and launching them.”

Seven-year-old Jack Morris, an Air Force dependent, attended Saturday’s science fair wearing a Challenger Learning Center T-shirt.

“These are my favorite part yet,” Morris said near an inflatable pool filled with water, colorful rings and submersible robots. “I have a pool like this at home, and I really want one of their robots.”

Tomme and others at the Challenger Learning Center of Colorado organized Saturday’s science fair with assistance from The Rocky Mountain Company Grade Officer Council, comprised of officers stationed at Peterson and the Air Force Academy.

Thanks to funding from Boeing and assistance from 100 volunteers, the two organizations pulled off Saturday’s event without any major hitches.

“For an on-base private organization to pull off something this big is unheard of,” said Lt. Col. Jim Lovewell, mentor to the council.

Among dignitaries at the event were Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia and Air Force Brig. Gen. Richard Scobee, whose father, Francis Richard Scobee, died commanding the Space Shuttle Challenger when the craft exploded on Jan. 28, 1986.

Richard Scobee’s mother and other family members of Challenger’s fallen founded the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, of which the Challenger Learning Center of Colorado is a member.

“We’ve never seen anything this big,” said Richard Scobee, adding that events with which the center is involved usually involve 25-35 participants at a time.

“It’s unprecedented. It’s commendable. It’s just so good. Dad would be humbled by all of this.”