Tourism Calgary | Geek Life: Augmenting Reality

I’m so entirely excited for my upcoming #GeekTravel trip to Calgary, Alberta, I can hardly contain myself! Honestly, fit to burst. Next weekend (April 27th to 30th,) Calgary is hosting its 12th annual Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo and I’ve got tickets to go, yeehaw! I hadn’t realized until I was invited to attend the Calgary Comic Expo by Tourism Calgary, just how enthusiastically GEEK Alberta is. So here are all the superbly geek things I’m going to want to see and do while visiting. Why Not Start with a Parade? THIS. So much fantastic to happen on Friday morning to get the Geek weekend rolling, I am going to make sure to get front row seats to watch the POW! Parade of Wonders. ? Watch the video from last year’s parade, it is so full of WIN. https://youtu.be/t2W93WSkcrw I almost want to bring a costume with me to participate, but I didn’t think about this with enough time to prepare. #SadPanda Though someday, I will find the right blonde wig and cosplay as Faith at an expo! I could totally rock that white suit. Pilgrimage to the Vulcan Homeworld Any Starfleet cadet worth their salt knows about Vulcan, Alberta, but what I hadn’t fully appreciated before was how thoroughly the Vulcan tourism board had taken this fabulous tidbit and ran with it. I am absolutely going to visit the Vulcan Tourism & Trek Station. A visitor information centre that looks like a Star Trek space station. It’s a must. There are 800+ Star Trek memorabilia pieces to admire, a Gene Roddenberry Memorial Plaque, a Star Trek Walking Tour and of course the gift shop! I’m already making a list of what I want to buy from their store; they even have Vulcan ears, heh. What do you think of their Star Trek 50th anniversary Engineering shirt? *Crossing fingers* that I can find my size! As much of a Trekkie (not Trekker *cough*) as I am, I don’t own a single Star Trek shirt. ? Tuhmoh! (That’s Klingon for shame!) Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Experience – Telus Spark Speaking of cadets, I’ve been wanting to try out the Starfleet Academy Experience ever since it launched in Ottawa last year, which has now moved to Telus Spark in Calgary. Test your mettle in seven simulated zones to determine your Starfleet career path. Are you Science officer? An Engineer? Are you ready for command? This tech geek is so hoping for an engineering path! What would your dream Starfleet career be? Here are some of the cool things happening at the Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Experience: Learn to speak Klingon Conduct a planetary survey Guide the U.S.S. Enterprise through a maze of threats (Wonder if the Kobayashi Maru is one of the scenarios… ?) Test your hand during phaser target practice The Calgary Comic Expo I might just have to bring an extra luggage bag in case I go crazy with the merch. Seriously, I can’t go to an expo and not buy a whole bunch of comics, and art from the artist alley (so much ❤ for fandom artists, they’re awesome!) I’m inevitably going to have to remind myself to be travel smart, urgh. Exclusive merchandise is always a win for me, I’m not sure whether I want to grab the Portfolio Messenger Bag or the Couch Cushion (‘cause how awesome would it be to fly home with a pillow, heh!) The Panels Tho Here are the panels that I’ll be eagerly choosing from. Unfortunately, some of them overlap, so I’ll have to rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock like a boss on my itinerary for sure. If I had known before that [easyazon_link keywords="Hermione’s Time Turner" cloak="n" locale="CA" localize="y" nw="y" nf="y" tag="geewitsty-20"]Hermione’s Time Turner[/easyazon_link] was a thing I could buy at Amazon, I would have picked one up, yo. ALL WEEKEND Sons of Fenrir Live the Viking life! The Sons of Fenrir are on hand all weekend long, with demonstrations of Viking combat, feasting, and daily life. Bring glory to Midgard and join in! FRIDAY Chapterhouse Artist Battle 3 PM The artists from the Chapterhouse comics publishers are on hand for a battle - a comic art battle! In mere minutes before your eyes, works of comic art will take place! Creating Webcomics 5 PM Join veteran author and artist Krazy Krow (creator of Spinnerette, Krakow and Marilith) for an interactive discussion on the ins and outs of creating webcomics. An active creator since 2000, Krow will take you on a trip down webcomics memory lane! What if Batman Had a Good Psychiatrist? 5:15 PM Two psychiatrists delve into the mind of Batman to explore themes of mental health. Learn how Bruce Wayne's early experiences influenced the man he would become and explore the world of psychiatry through the lens of the Dark Knight himself. Academic Panelists: Dr. Sterling Sparshu and Dr. Sudhakar Sivapalan Star Trek: Renegades Pilot Episode Screening 5:30 PM This crowdfunded series tells the tale of a gritty, dangerous side to Starfleet and the Federation, as veteran Star Trek heroes send a ragtag team of Starfleet's most wanted on a secret quest to save the galaxy as they know it! Directed by Tim Russ. Runtime: 88 mins Geek Girl Gathering 8 PM A geek mixer event for everyone with a female positive emphasis! Celebrating the growth of women in geek culture, we invite you to our fan function and networking event for like-minded people with snacks and prizes! With special guest, comic book illustrator, painter and visual artist, Camilla d'Errico! (120 mins) SATURDAY Supernatural Trek: Star Trek and the Re-Enchantment of the World 2:30 PM A discussion of Star Trek's deceptively complicated relationship to themes of magic and the supernatural. By analyzing specific episodes, we will discover how Star trek simultaneously enchants and disenchants its audience through the concept of viewing science as magic, and vice-versa. Academic Panelist: Murray Leeder Ka Muso Kai - Japanese Swordsmanship Demonstration 3 PM The Ka Muso Kai is a traditional Japanese swordsmanship club that teaches the arts of Iaido, Jodo, Hyoho Niten Ichi Ryu, and Kage Ryu. Join us as we demonstrate the use of everything from the short staff to two swords at once! Steampunk Ladies Parasol Duelling Demo 5 PM Join the Ladies of Madame Saffron Hemlock's Parasol Duelling League for the history and rules of the exciting sport of Ladies Parasol Duelling. Learn the moves and the rules, then try your hand at this elegant sport. Hail To The King - A Celebration of Jack Kirby 5 PM Join Stacy and Ryan Dooks (THE FANBOY POWER HOUR) in a tribute to the man behind our modern mythology, the King of Comics himself: Jack Kirby! SUNDAY Given how jam packed my morning already is geeking out in Calgary, I’m gonna hope I’ll be able to catch the Spotlight on Jeremy Renner before I have to leave for my flight, because dude, it’s Hawkguy. Check the Calgary Comic Expo programming list of awesome and tell me what you would want to go see! Thanks to Tourism Calgary, I am going to have an EPIC foodie tour during this #GeekTravel weekend, hoh-mg. Here are some must-try restaurants in Calgary, AB. ReGrub I am guessing here, but I have a feeling that THIS IS THE PLACE you want to be at if you're craving for one heck of a food coma. Go for their handmade delicious burgers, and pair it with a milkshake monstrosity. I’m a bit scared, to be honest. Don’t believe me? PROOF https://twitter.com/kevinandamanda/status/788198134207881220 Yellow Door Bistro Home of limited-time-only Death Star Waffles during Calgary Comic Expo. What is breakfast without destroying a Death Star with a fork and maple syrup? (Let’s see MacGyver do better!) https://www.instagram.com/p/BEv5TIYr2pw/ Without Papers A pizzeria that screens movies on weekends! And has incredible selections like the Hog Wild pizza, which is topped with wild boar sausage and fruilan, whut. National Beer Hall What is a weekend without bowling? It’s been a few weeks since I’ve picked up a ten-pin ball, but I’m looking forward to let a few fly at the National 10. From what I’ve read, it’s home to a coveted Mexican food menu and craft beers. Can you tell I’m all kinds of excited? Keep an eye on my Instagram and/or Twitter to keep up with me Thursday April 27th to Sunday April 30th!

Tag: Tourism Calgary

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Technology. Collectibles. Travel.

Technology. Collectibles. Travel.