Geek Pride Day is celebrated annually on 25 May since its origin in 2006 in Spain, and Cape Town offers numerous ways for Capetonians to join in on the celebration. It is believed Geek Pride Festival, organized by Tim McEachern from 1998 to 2000, lead to today’s Geek Pride Day. Spanish blogger Germán Martínez organized the first celebration in 2006, and it soon spread around the world.
‘Geek’ is a slang term, typically describing an expert or enthusiast or a person obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. The people who are called geeks are often kind of peculiar, and can be overly intellectual, unfashionable or socially awkward. Used as a reason to bully and mock, being called a geek has long had negative associations, so Geek Pride Day is an opportunity to counter this negavitity and to give back pride to a culture that is, in my opinion, very unique and in its own way, pretty cool, writes Cape {town} Etc’s Rachelle.
But why 25 May? This day was chosen as the date for Geek Pride Day to celebrate the 1977 release of one major pride and joy of geek culture, the first Star Wars film. But fans of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy also have their own way to celebrate Geek Pride Day with their own unique celebration on 25 May: Towel Day.
Countries that have celebrated or observed Geek Pride Day are Spain, USA, Canada, Hungary, Israel, Romania and Sweden. Unfortunately, South Africa is not on that list, but Mzansi geeks can still celebrate amongst themselves. In honour of Geek Pride Day, we’ve compiled a shortlist of activities Capetonian geeks can do to let their geek run wild.
1. Be puzzled at Hinthunt
First on our list is the widely-popular escape room. Getting locked up in a themed room and challenged to solve all the clues and puzzles before the timer runs out is an exhilarating experience and a test of logic and dexterity. Tap into your intellectual side with this fun activity that can be shared with your closest geeky friends.
And if the idea of being locked in a room puts you off, HintHunt now also offers online and mobile games that you can either enjoy at home or in an outdoor or indoor location of your choice.
Details:
- Location: Watershed, 17 Dock Rd, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town, 8002
- Website: hinthunt.co.za
- Cost: From R275 per person
2. Aim and shoot at Laser Tag
Not all of us enjoy getting battered and bruised by paintball bullets, but we do like the idea of running around with guns play-shooting at each other. So why not try laser tag? S.W.A.T Laser Tag has three sites in the Mother City that offer breathtaking backgrounds for games: from the majestic Blue Gum and giant Pine forests of the Tokai region, to the airy Poplar forests of Somerset West, the inspiring wise old Oaks of the Southern Suburbs and the fascinating sights and sounds of the West Coast fynbos. S.W.A.T Laser Tag can also bring the action to you; due to the simplicity and portability of their laser tag equipment, they can also run laser tag events anywhere indoors or outdoors.
Details:
- Somerset West Location: Helderberg Farm, Klein Helderberg Road, Somerset West, 7130
- Melkbos Location: R27 Highway, Melkbosstrand, Cape Town, 7441
- Wynberg Location: Cnr of Trovato Link, Klaasens Rd, Wynberg, Cape Town, 8001
- Website: swatlasertag.co.za
- Cost: From R180 per player, depending on location
3. Score high at Arcade games
There is something really nostalgic about the sound of arcade music and the rattle of coins dropping into a dispenser. Why not relive some happy childhood memories by racing a superbike, shooting some hoops, challenging a friend to a dance-off or shooting aliens at an arcade near you? Some arcades that are still very popular are The Magic Company Arcade at GrandWest and Wonderland Arcades at Canal Walk.
Details:
The Magic Company Arcade
- Location: Grandwest Casino, Denneboom Ave, Goodwood, 7460
- Website: themagiccompany.co.za
Wonderland
- Location: 490 Century Blvd, Century City, Cape Town, 7446
- Website: canalwalk.co.za
4. Be competitive at Fanaticus Board Games
Gather a group of friends together and head to Fanaticus Board Games where you can play tabletop and card games to your heart’s content. At Fanaticus Board Games, there is an entire wall filled with countless games of all kinds and enough space to comfortably space 8 tables with 6 seats each. This newly established business has already purchased a restaurant-grade filter coffee machine and also secured a fridge for the Monster Energy Drinks to help players power through those lengthy Monopoly games. They are also in talks to stock a vending machine with snacks and drinks. They also stock a large selection of games that visitors can buy if they’d like to take the fun home.
Details:
- Location: The Clubhouse, 3 Sonneblom St, Parow North, Cape Town, 7500
- Website: fanaticus.co.za
Being geeky is fun and unique to each individual, and we definitely need to celebrate it more. Whether you enjoy physical activities, puzzles, arcade games, or board games you can share with friends, Cape Town offers more than enough ways for you to be your best geek.
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Picture: Unsplash