There is so much great geeky stuff happening this weekend and next week. From one of Seattle’s most awaited conventions, GeekGirlCon, to Video Store Day to Startup Day and Startup Week — there is something super happening on a daily basis. Don’t miss John Cook’s full Startup Week writeup, for all the times, updates and details on this exciting week.
Here are some of our recommendations for how you should spend your time (although we’d never be pushy about it, we just think maybe you’d want to know about all the cool stuff that’s going on, I mean, you do, right?)
International Independent Video Store Day: Saturday is Video Store Day and lucky for us Seattleites, THE LARGEST INDEPENDENT VIDEO STORE IN THE COUNTRY is in our very own backyard! Scarecrow Video has been a Seattle institution for a quarter of a century and they have over 117,000 titles! They’ve basically moved beyond the friendly neighborhood video store to legendary-kick-ass-has-everything-that’s-ever-been-recorded-on-video store! Did you know they also have a screening room with weekly film events, host book signings and gatherings, offer daily specials and now serve beer and coffee?
So what’s a better way to spend Video Store Day then in the absolute best video store ever? Especially when they need your help. I certainly plan on stopping by to partake of their special deals and festivities.
I like to think anyone over the age of 20 or so has extremely fond, even heart-warming childhood memories of their local video stores. Walking the video store aisles was a regular occurrence and in most cases, a special family outing. Sure, technology has made watching movies easier than ever, but at what cost? This is a crucial time when we have to decide what’s important — convenience or community? Bookstores, music stores and video stores are all failing and what else are we losing in their wake? There’s no denying that there’s just something unique that these places offer that can never be reproduced by their online counterparts.
If a video store has ever meant anything to you, if you’ve ever had that cozy feeling upon bringing home a new release or beloved classic, or maybe you have a child and would like to share that special gift that only pursuing shelves (not static images on a screen) can offer — now’s the time to show your support. Let’s celebrate the good things we have before they’re gone and we can never get them back.
When: Saturday, October 19th. All day
GeekGirlCon: Folks of all ages and genders are welcome at this inclusive convention celebrating all things geeky. Gamers, collectors, hackers, table toppers, cosplayers, role players, coders, crafters, nerd, dweebs, and yes, geeks will all be represented and entertained here. If you only go to one convention this year, make it this one! Plus, lots of sideline events happening, like this.
Be sure to check out GeekGirlCon’s Susie Rantz previewing the event on the latest GeekWire radio show and podcast.
When: Saturday and Sunday, October 19th and 20th. All day. Limited tickets available at the door and participating retail stores.
Get a Real Job Fair: Seems like every startup in town is hiring, and here’s where you can connect with them and land that *real* job you’ve been looking for. This is THE event to go to for those seeking work out there.
When: Monday, October 21st. 6pm – 9pm
Brad Stone Behind-the-Scenes: Amazon and Jeff Bezos: You’ve read Todd Bishop’s in-depth interview with Brad Stone, author of the new book, ‘The Everything Store’, now you can hear from Brad himself in person at this Town Hall event. Fascinating stuff!
(Also listen for Brad Stone on this weekend’s GeekWire radio show and podcast.)
When: Tuesday, October 22nd. 7:30pm – 9pm
Civic Hacking Night at the Hub: This is cool. Coders and non-coders alike are welcome to come and participate in this civic oriented hack-a-thon. Come work on your own Seattle specific project, maybe you’ll better our city!
When: Wednesday, October 23nd. 5:45pm – 9pm
Emily Shahan is GeekWire’s cultural attaché. Reach her at emily@geekwire.com. Events for this regular feature are chosen from the GeekWire Calendar. To submit an event to the calendar, go to the calendar page and look for the green button.
