Second annual convention includes panels, special events, gaming, and more
Seattle, Wash. — GeekGirlCon ‘12, the second annual convention organized by GeekGirlCon, takes place Aug. 11 and 12 in Seattle. The convention is dedicated to celebrating and honoring the contributions of women to science and technology; comics, arts, and literature; and game play and game design.
GeekGirlCon ‘12 will be held at The Conference Center, located in downtown Seattle, and will include panel discussions, crafting workshops, special events, tabletop and console gaming, and an exhibitor hall. The two-day convention is the second annual GeekGirlCon, after the inaugural 2011 convention attracted a sold-out crowd of over 2,000 over two days.
“We are incredibly excited to open the doors for GeekGirlCon ‘12,” said Erica McGillivray, GeekGirlCon president. “We hope our second convention provides attendees with a safe, welcoming, and fun way to celebrate who they are, and what they love. We have aimed to create a convention that offers something for anyone, whether you love Star Wars, science, technology, comics, or anything else.”
Saturday and Sunday programming will feature panel discussions, hands-on workshops, and lively interactive sessions ranging from topics as diverse as science and technology, geeky careers, fandom and pop culture, crafting and making, the treatment and portrayal of women in geek culture, robots, comic books, and the video game industry.
GeekGirlCon ‘12 will also offer a number of special events, starting with a free outdoor screening of The Wizard of Oz on Friday, Aug. 10. Saturday will feature a costume masquerade, nerdy comedy improv, a sing-along to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode “Once More, with Feeling,” and a GeekGirlCONcert. The Closing Celebration on Sunday will include a screening of Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines.
In addition, this year will be the debut of GeekGirlConnections, where attendees can get career planning support, network one-on-one with women working in a wide variety of career fields (from comics to NASA), and receive personalized feedback on their work from professionals in their industry.
“Attendees at last year’s convention asked for more opportunities to connect with women working in science, technology, video games, comics, and more, and we were excited to put it together” said Jennifer K. Stuller, GeekGirlCon programming creative director. “GeekGirlConnections will give attendees a great way to hone their networking skills, receive support and advice, and connect with their future.”
Women make up 42 percent of all video game players, which is reflected in the expanded gaming at GeekGirlCon ‘12. Gaming will fill the entire lower level of The Conference Center and will have a range of tabletop and RPG games to play, as well as console gaming sponsored by EA and PopCap Games. Gaming events and workshops include a Mystery Box Game Design Challenge, where participants design a new game from a box of random game parts with help from industry mentors, tournaments for Magic: the Gathering, Munchkin, Zuma, Bejeweled Blitz, and Peggle, LARPing workshops, and a superhero/villain mask making session.
GeekGirlCon is a family-friendly convention with a number of programming, games, and events geared towards children. Twenty percent of all attendees at GeekGirlCon ‘11 were children under the age of 10. Passes are free for children under 4, and only $5 for children ages 5 to 10 for the whole weekend.
Regular two-day passes are $45, and Saturday or Sunday passes are $30 each. They are available online until Thursday, Aug. 9, and at the door, though GeekGirlCon ‘11 sold out at the door last year.
Guests participating in GeekGirlCon ‘12 include Renae De Liz (Womanthology), Ashley Eckstein (Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Her Universe), Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Battlestar Galactica, and Warehouse 13) and the cast of Husbands, Jamala Henderson (KUOW Radio), M.J. McDermott (Seattle Meteorologist and Geek Girl), Purple Reign (Seattle Activist and Superhero), Greg Rucka (Keeper, Queen & Country, Whiteout), Gail Simone (Women in Refrigerators List, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman), Jen Van Meter (Hopeless Savages comics and graphic novels), and Corrinne Yu (Halo 4, Microsoft Direct3D, Kotaku Top 10 Most Influential Women in Games).
GeekGirlCon ‘12 welcomes all ages, races, sexual orientations, gender identities, creeds, physical and mental abilities, and familial statuses. To learn more, visit www.geekgirlcon.com/con.
About GeekGirlCon
GeekGirlCon celebrates and honors the legacy of women contributing to science and technology; comics, arts and literature; and game play and game design by connecting geeky women worldwide and creating community to foster continued growth of women in geek culture through events. GeekGirlCon has hosted over 100 special events from August 2010 through August 2012 and continues to create and collaborate on fun and geeky events throughout the year, including the annual convention. GeekGirlCon is comprised of an all-volunteer staff dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the contribution of women in all aspects of geek culture. Learn more at www.geekgirlcon.com.
