Oh. My. Zorg. Rolling into London this weekend is Nine Worlds GeekFest, a weekend-long, multi-genre convention dedicated to gaming, film, cosplay, fandom, literature, science and generally having an incredibly geeky great time.
Fan-led and with all proceeds going to charity, Nine Worlds differs from the usual sci-fi con in that it embraces general geekery beyond the traditional fantasy aspects (although they have a lot of that going on too).
The programme is so jam-packed with events taking place every day that we cannot even begin to comprehensively explain all that is happening. We suggest you take a look at the programme and see what appeals to you. However, here are some notable areas we picked out whilst perusing the (excellent) website:
- GAMING: A huge amount of roleplaying games will take place, with genres including Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter and of course, Game of Thrones. Board games, social games and video games will also be on offer.
- MODERN MYTHS: Vampires, Doctor Who, Tolkien and, er, My Little Pony? Talks, music and showings will allow you to engross yourself in your favourite modern myth.
- MATERIAL WORLD: If you need a break from the fantasy world, then you can get practical and try your hand at knitting, creative writing, skepticism and science, at various workshops and discussions.
- GAME OF THRONES: Game of Thrones deserves a special mention as Nine Worlds provides ample opportunity for fans to flesh out this particular fandom. A swordplay demonstration session with the Game of Thrones dancing master Syrio Forel will delight/take out the eyes of spectators (unsurprisingly, tickets to join his swordplay masterclass session sold out within minutes). There is also a dedicated Game of Thrones space, where fans can listen to panel discussions, design their own sigil, and take part in Game of Thrones pub quizzes.
Some other interesting sounding events include Geek Feminism, Queer Fandom, Wound Make-Up Workshops, a Sci-Fi Film Festival, Indie Comics and a whole host of evening entertainment (fashion shows, quizzes, discos, late night gaming and even a sci-fi classic singalong to name a few).
Nine Worlds GeekFest takes place 9-11 August 2013 at the Renaissance and Radisson Edwardian hotels near Heathrow. Tickets range from £23.75 for a day ticket to £95 for the entire event. All proceeds go to their charity partner English PEN. Some events require pre-booking.
