Tag: Star Wars Events

Geek Out This Mother’s Day

Steampunk Doctor Who
Are you a big fan of Star Wars, steampunk, or just all things geeky? Do random people see the costumes you wear and look at you like you’re actually from another world (Tatooine or Naboo, perhaps)? Have you ever tried to explain to someone what your geeky hobby is and why you do it? Well, if the answer to any of these questions is yes and you are a self-proclaimed geek, nerd, fanboy, or fangirl, you’ll be happy to know that there are several events this weekend that will help you show your friends and family what your geekiness is all about. In fact, if you’re a Star Wars fan, a steampunk Fan, or even an exercise geek, this is the perfect weekend to show Mom (or anyone else for that matter), the geeky things that you truly enjoy.

First, if you’re a Star Wars fan, you may want to head over to the Franklin Park Zoo this weekend. This is because the Franklin Park Zoo is hosting their annual Star Wars Day from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. on Sunday (May 10, 2015.) This event will allow you and your friends and family to see stormtroopers from the 501st Legion, famous characters from the Rebel Legion, participate in a series of Star Wars scavenger hunts, watch animals play with special Star Wars themed enrichment items, and more. Best of all, if you are planning to bring your mother, the zoo is offering free admission to all mothers in honor of Mother’s Day. For more information on Star Wars Day at the Franklin Park Zoo, please visit the Zoo New England Special Events page.

Secondly, if you’re more of a steampunk fan than a Star Wars fan or you love both equally, you’ll probably want to be in Waltham this weekend. This is because the Watch City Steampunk Festival is this Saturday (May 9, 2015) from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on the Common in Waltham, Massachusetts. This festival will give you the opportunity to bring your friends and family into the world of steampunk with artwork, costuming, films, live performances, music, and a whole lot more. However, the thing that will probably truly put a smile on your face is the fact that you won’t have to pay a dime to get in because admission to the festival is free. For more information on the Watch City Steampunk Festival, please visit the Official Watch City Steampunk Festival website.

Finally, if you like to show the world your geekiness by regaling your friends and family with tales of all of the places that you’ve run through and how quickly you ran through them (which is important if you’re trying to avoid imperial stormtroopers or some other nefarious group of villians), you may want to check out the Geek Day Virtual 5K. The Geek Day Virtual 5K is a virtual marathon that runs from now until May 31st. This event will actually allow you to make your own marathon by choosing a 5K route, running it, and then reporting your time (with the appropriate fee of course) to the organizers. You will then receive a Geek Day Medal and a portion of the money from all of the fees collected will go to charity. For more information on the Geek Day Virtual 5K and/or to report your time for the event, please visit the Virtual Run Events website.

Photo credit: Counse / Photo / CC BY

May the 4th Be With You!

 

"May the 4th Be With You!"
“May the 4th Be With You!”

If you saw last night’s episode of the “Big Bang Theory,” you probably already know that this Sunday is one of the most fan-boyish (or fan-girlish as the case may be) days of the year. If, on the other hand, you really aren’t a fan of the Big Bang Theory, you try to avoid stuff people consider “dorky” or nerdy,” or you just missed last night’s episode, you may be wondering what’s so special about the 4th of May. Well, the 4th of May is well-known throughout the science fiction crowd (or the speculative fiction crowd if you prefer) as “Stars Wars Day” because “May the 4th be with you” sounds a lot like the famous “Star Wars” line “May the force be with you.” As a result, there is no shortage of Stars Wars themed events this weekend, and if you’re a fan of the series or you just like people marching around in full body armor, there’s no better time to get your geek on.

First, if you’ve always wondered what it would be like if the Empire took over your local zoo, you don’t need to wonder anymore. This is because Zoo New England is hosting May the 4th Be With You at the Franklin Park Zoo this Sunday from 10:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. This event will allow you and anyone else you feel like bringing with you to learn how the animals in the zoo are similar to some of the creatures in the Star Wars universe, participate in a Star Wars themed scavenger hunt, watch some of the animals at the zoo play with their own Star Wars themed enrichment items, and best of all, meet members of the New England Garrison of the 501st Legion (dedicated Star Wars fans who use some of the most impressive costumes you will ever see to dress up as members of the Empire.) You can also meet members of the Alderaan Base of the Rebel Legion (dedicated fans who use extremely detailed costumes to dress up as members of the Rebel Alliance), get your picture taken with your favorite characters, and do a whole lot more. For more information on the May the 4th Be With You at the Franklin Park Zoo event, please visit the Franklin Park Zoo Special Events page.

Secondly, if you can’t make it to the zoo before 3:00 P.M. or you really need an even bigger Star Wars fix, you may want to check out the Cape Ann Community Cinema in Gloucester. The Cape Ann Community Cinema is hosting their own May the 4th Be With You Celebration from 1:30 P.M. to approximately 8:30 P.M. on Sunday. This celebration will feature a fan film festival with a series of fan-made tributes to the Star Wars series; the world premiere of “Plastic Galaxy: The Story of ‘Star Wars’ Toys”; the film that helped inspire some of the plot and storytelling techniques used in Star Wars, “The Hidden Fortress”; and if you missed them at the zoo or you just had to see them again, members of the New England Garrison of the 501st Legion. For more information on the May the 4th Be With You Celebration at the Cape Ann Community Cinema in Gloucester, please visit the Cape Ann Community Cinema website.

Finally, if you aren’t in the Boston area, you’re looking for something that you can do from home, or you’re just in desperate need of some awesome Star Wars swag, you may want to check out the Official Star Wars Day Events page, the Official Star Wars Day Deals page, or the Steam May the 4th Be With You Sale page.

Photo credit: Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)