Permission to live out his fantasy, sir!
---------[ Received Mail Content ]---------- Subject : [scifinoir2] Geekfest, anyone? Self-professed geek imagines what his fantasy festival Date : Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:03:40 -0000 From : "ravenadal" <ravena...@yahoo.com> To : scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com (for those of you scoring at home, Stanley A. Miller II, a tech writer for the Milwaukee Journal, is black). (for those of you scoring at home, part two: Milwaukee is "the city of festivals" as we have a different ethnic festival every weekend of the summer - we just finished Bastille Days and go into Festa Italiana this weekend). http://www.jsonline.com/entertainment/51046737.html Geekfest, anyone? Self-professed geek imagines what his fantasy festival would include By Stanley A. Miller II of the Journal Sentinel Posted: July 17, 2009 Milwaukee's summer festivals celebrate the city's diversity, but one important group - a group that crosses over ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic status - is woefully unrepresented. The geeks. And I use that term with respect and adoration. After all, I count myself among the chosen. Yes, there was Gencon - long since moved to Indianapolis - but even that event back in its heyday here always had room to improve. So as the Polish, Germans, Italians and others gather at Maier Festival Park weekend after weekend to party in the sun, I can't help daydreaming of what kind of Geekfest our city could host given a blue-sky budget, some aggressive organizing and a free weekend to run wild at the festival grounds. Food: Pizza is paramount, but it doesn't have to be cheap. Sure, provide cheap pizza, but for those with more discriminating palates, sign on Bartolotta's to churn out those wood-fired oven Neapolitan pizzas, Louise's Trattoria for their gourmet pizzas, and Classic Slice in Bay View for New York-style pizza. Mountain Dew must be available to keep participants awake 72 hours straight, as well as energy drinks like AMP, Red Bull and BAWLS, and coffee from Milwaukee's own Alterra. Burritos are also a popular staple of the geek diet, provided at Geekfest locally by Burrito Bueno as well as trucked in from La Bamba in Madison. Music: This is one of the tougher areas to flesh out. Video Games Live, a traveling concert series featuring music from games, could team up with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and headline one night. &enspMutaytor, a Los Angeles electro-retro-funk group, blends electronica, tribal drums, hoop dancers and aerial artists in one explosive spectacle. The group captivated crowds at the Electronic Entertainment Expo a few years ago and would be a thrilling Geekfest attraction. &enspLuke Sienkowski, also known as the great Luke Ski, the "jester of sci-fi" and "pimp of the geek nation," would also need some stage time to slay the crowd with his live comedy music show. His fandom parodies and original work make him a regular on the convention circuit, and he lives in Kenosha. Entertainment: Celebrity appearances by Elijah Wood (Frodo!); Vin Diesel (action star and Dungeons & Dragons player who owns his own video game studio); and Samuel L. Jackson, who played Jedi Master Mace Windu in the "Star Wars" movies and is a self-professed geek who collects action figures, reads comic books and plays video games. &enspA live broadcast from Geekfest by Stephen Colbert, who played D&D in a former life and loves his Nintendo Wii. &enspRobot gladiator events starring the creations of students statewide, including teams from the FIRST robotics competition and the BOTS IQ program. &enspA late-evening comedy show by Dave Chappelle, who loves the "Grand Theft Auto" video game and "World of Warcraft" computer game. &enspProfessional sword fighting demonstrations, hopefully tapping some talent from the Bristol Renaissance Faire. Activities: Games ranging from Dungeons & Dragons and other table-top role-playing games, to board games, to chess, to strategy and war games. &enspElectronic gaming LAN events (short for local area network) for computer and video game tournaments, too. Locally run Noobs Gaming Centers could organize the casual events, and the Pwnage Lounge, also based in Milwaukee, could run the hardcore for-cash competitions. &enspCostume contests - one for children, one for adults - preferably run by Anne Brown of West Allis, who still runs the dress-up competition for Gencon Indy. Anyone entering Geekfest's costume contest could march in the event's parade down Wisconsin Ave., ending at the festival grounds. &enspArt: An exhibition showing off fantasy and sci-fi art from local artists with special areas reserved for illustration, video and animation students. "Into the Pixel," a traveling exhibit featuring work from the electronic gaming industry, gets a special show at the Milwaukee Art Museum. &enspA free book exchange. &enspThe Tech Zone showing off the latest gadgets and rare devices. &enspComics and anime drawing workshops anchored by Lost Worlds of Wonder and the Collector's Edge, both local shops. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQdwk8Yntds
