GeekGirlCon Delights Geeks Again with Fun, Inclusive Vibes

Nerds and geeks of all stripes took to the Seattle Convention Center in November 2024 in celebration of science, art, games, and the marginalized voices who are traditionally excluded from geek and STEM spaces. The two-day event featured a packed lineup of exhibits, speakers, performances, boutique shops, and activities filling three floors of the Arch wing of the convention space.

Walking through the main doors, the themes of safety and inclusion were immediately present. Having gone virtual in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID, this was the third GeekGirlCon to return to an in-person format. But the specter of the pandemic still loomed—masks were required for all attendees, cosplay masks notwithstanding.

The atmosphere of inclusivity could not be missed; throughout the event, everything from the decor to the exhibits to the dedicated nursing area conspired to make it clear that you were welcome, whether you’re team Star Wars or Star Trek, you’re a kid or raising one, and no matter how you identify.

Just past the check-in counter you could find the DIY Science Zone—a kid-friendly hands-on learning environment featuring a number of crafts and other activities, including a robotics table courtesy of the Creative Koalas Robotics Team. Approaching the table you might be greeted by Tara, Josephine, Elena, and Kavya, four after-school roboticists, who explained how their exhibit works: “We’re here today to show more about robotics and hopefully get them more interested in it. It’s a lot of fun and it involves teamwork and we get to combine a bunch of skills.”

Lego robot at DIY Science Zone / The Evergreen Echo

The table was laden with lego-constructed robots and objective markers called “missions” each of which featured a different challenge. For instance, one mission required four levers to be lifted in a specific order to be considered solved. The goal of the player was to program (using a visual programming language called Spike) and construct a robot capable of executing that challenge.

“I really like how you can talk to a bunch of people and help spread the word about robotics and how great it is,” said a volunteer.

Moving up the escalator, you’d find an open play space for board, card, and tabletop games. A game library sat in stacks at the edge of the space and granted convention-goers the ability to freely try their hands at a huge assortment of games. Games like Flesh & Blood, developed in New Zealand and takes clear inspiration from Magic: The Gathering.

Andrew Mendelson is not just a local player, he’s a local community builder who organizes regular events for the Seattle Flesh & Blood scene. His presence at GeekGirlCon was not as a sponsored representative of game publisher Legend Story Studios, but as a volunteer looking to reach new players and expand its community.

Flesh & Blood table volunteers at the gaming section / The Evergreen Echo

“We're trying to make a diverse community that's very welcoming to people and GeekGirlCon is a way for us to continue that outreach,” Kelsie Leggett who was working at the table added. “As an artist I found the art very captivating and that’s part of what drew me in … When I play games I always choose to play as a female character and I think that the art that they choose for a lot of female characters in Flesh & Blood has a very strong and empowering look to them. They have very strong female characters not just based on aesthetics.”

Flesh & Blood serves as a microcosm of how GeekGirlCon fits into the wider world of geek culture; there is no denial that the convention is a hub of economic activity featuring the products of many large corporations, but it also brings out community and fandoms who connect over their shared love of intellectual properties and characters from the iconic to the obscure.

Cosplay is a major feature of every GeekGirlCon and this year was no different. In the span of a few minutes, one might pass by enough Star Wars characters to cast a Disney+ show. Step into another room and say konichiwa to more anime than an entire evening of Toonami programming. Drop in Sunday afternoon to throw your hat into the cosplay competition.

Family cosplaying Owl House characters at GeekGirlCon / The Evergreen Echo

One animated group of attendees came dressed as characters from the TV series The Owl House. The group was comprised of two families who bonded over the show’s three seasons and spoke to how its themes mesh with the values of GeekGirlCon.

“I think what we all really responded to about it is that it is about this human girl. She just doesn't fit in with her Earth culture. She's queer. She's neurodiverse. She diverges. And she goes in through this portal and she discovers herself, she makes friends, we really responded to that message.” —attendee re: The Owl House

The spirit of openness provided a certain energy that reverberated through the air, or that may have just been the smooth sounds of the 8-Bit Brass Band playing outside the main entrance. Their sets featured approximately 12 of the band’s 22 members adorned in a mishmash of costumes and brass arrangements of nostalgic music from the annals of video games and internet culture. If you’re a regular of Seattle’s convention scene, then it’s likely you’ve bumped into them before.

8-Bit Brass Band outside GeekGirlCon / The Evergreen Echo

According to band member Adora, “We always go to every local con that we can but we especially love GeekGirlCon. We are geeks of a variety of genders and other groups. And we really love getting the opportunity to see a con whose focus is an underserved group of geeks who maybe don't get as much attention. Not just that but kids too. 8-Bit does gigs for kids a lot more than other similar bands and we really love playing for kids, so I love that the con has so much programming for kids.”

Every member of the band has their own reason for dedicating their time to it. For instance, two members called M and Cheney both spoke to how it brought them back into the world of music. Cheney, who had stopped playing for about 15 years, explained, “I play the marching snare and that's a very difficult hobby to have as an adult. And so I was really, really thrilled to discover there is such a rich brass band scene here in Seattle.” Marcus, the band’s tuba player dressed as Justice Mable Pines from Gravity Falls, put it simply, “Music and community are easily the two most like driving forces in my life.”

Despite all the hubbub, the convention also managed to maintain a relaxing vibe. Several spaces were set aside for folks to sit at a table, eat, and rest. A young attendee named Huck taking a short break from the activities described it: “I just really like how small and not overwhelming it is compared to other conventions which are way bigger.” So it seems that in that sense GeekGirlCon 2024 lives up to its reputation as Seattle’s biggest “small” convention.

GeekGirlCon is all wrapped up for this year, so those looking to join in on the fun will have to wait for 2025!