Geek Event Update
Things have been quiet on the Manoa Geeks front for a while!
When our group was born in a coffee shop in Manoa Valley, there was only a handful of us, and we were hungry for interacting and networking with like-minded entrepreneurs and tech heads. We felt like an endangered species! These days, I’m glad to say, it seems you can’t throw a rock in this town without hitting a meetup, tweetup, mixer, and the like. I think there’s still a place for Manoa Geeks, and I’m always looking for venues and hosts. But rather than being a slave to a calendar, I’d rather ensure our gatherings are memorable and useful. If you have any ideas or suggestions on this front, I’m eager to hear them.
That said, I wanted to let you know about three great events coming up that might be of interest to those of the Manoa Geeks mindset. They’re similarly tech oriented, and also span a mixture of disciplines and interests. Perhaps more importantly, they celebrate innovation and ideas and the social side of social networking, perhaps moreso than business models and marketing.
February 27: Unconferenz
http://www.unconferenz.com/
Likely Hawaii’s first grassroots “un-conference,” now in its third year. The agenda is built on the spot, the information is spread from peer to peer, and the conversation is driven by everyone. My friend Burt Lum has built this into a great gathering and the topic suggestions are already flying for this next outing — Google Buzz, the future of news, mobile app development, and more. Registration is $20 and includes lunch and a T-shirt. Attendance is limited to 100 people. Please join us at KCC next Saturday.
March 25: Honolulu Twestival
http://honolulu.twestival.com/
Last year, Hawaii’s “Twestival” (Twitter-powered festival) raised over $7,000 for Charity: Water… with only two weeks of planning. We had a fantastic event with live music, great food, and cool prizes. This year, Honolulu is again among hundreds of cities around the world participating in this global fundraiser. For 2010, Twestival will benefit Concern Worldwide, an international humanitarian organization focused on childhood education. The date is set, and we’re days away from announcing our venue… and even our first featured musical guest. And if you or your company or group would like to volunteer or sponsor the Honolulu Twestival, please get in touch.
April 25: Hawaii Geek Meet
http://www.hawaiigeek.com
It’s a Manoa Geeks event with a few twists. It’s outdoors, for one, and families and kids are welcome. Even better, the definition of “geek” is stretched to its limits. Sure, there’ll be web developers, designers, programmers… and teachers and photographers and geocachers. But there’ll also be Storm Troopers. Ham radio operators. Astronomers. Heck, this year (our third), we’ll be joined by a blacksmith/swordsmith and his Mongol Hordes. I’ve invited Apple enthusiasts, robotics enthusiasts, LEGO enthusiasts, model rocket enthusiasts… and frankly, if you’ve got a passion for something even remotely technical or geeky, I hope you’ll join us — and bring your toys, your family, and your friends. Consider it a “Swap Meet” of ideas, a potluck picnic in the park where everyone you’ll meet will have a story to tell, and something to teach you. Details are still forthcoming, but if you can think of any group that would make a fun addition, please let me know.
Please mark your calendars, pass this e-mail on to anyone you know who might be interested, and join us if you can. If not, I’m certain I’ll still see you at a Tweetup soon! Are you going to SXSW? I’ll see you there!
By the way, these are just three of many events taking place in our community over the next few months. If you want to be kept in the loop on many more events and initiatives, be sure to check in at TechHui. Dan Leuck and friends have built a thriving online community where you’re sure to find smart, friendly, like-minded folks:
Here’s to a great, geeky 2010!
