Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Press release here from ZaPow gallery, a sponsor of GeekOut, coming to UNCA’s Sherrill Center in May:
Multiverse Asheville will host GeekOut 2013 on May 4 at a new location, UNCA’s Sherrill Center and Kimmel Arena. The second installment of “WNC’s popular arts convention” will celebrate all aspects of pop culture, from film, television, and animation to costuming, comics, and stage performance.
The convention will feature celebrity guest appearances and panels, two full days of tabletop and card gaming, a film and animation track, and workshops on independent filmmaking and writing for science fiction. Two performance stages will showcase theatrical and musical acts from across the Southeast. Live-action fighting and stunt demonstrations will also take place throughout the event.
The GeekOut exhibitor hall will host an intergalactic bazaar of vendors with extensive collections of exotic memorabilia for sale, and the ZaPow! Artist Alley will invite talented local artists and industry professionals to showcase their illustrations and artisanal crafts.
One of GeekOut’s new features will be KidzCon, a special track of programming specifically developed for young fans ages 4-12. “Many families with children attend conventions like ours, but never find programming specifically for them,” said Janae Foster, KidzCon director for GeekOut. “KidzCon celebrates the way superheroes and science fiction can deliver the concepts of science, reading, and imagination.”
GeekOut was first assembled last May by Asheville’s fan and gaming community after the announcement that Fanaticon, another Asheville convention that took place in 2010 and 2011, would not be returning. Shortly after the 2012 convention was successful, UNCA approached Multiverse with an invitation to relocate and expand the annual celebration.
“We’re really excited to team up with UNCA this year,” said Multiverse founder and GeekOut director Ken Krahl. “The Sherrill Center is perfect for what we have in mind for GeekOut this year and for all the ways we plan to grow in the years to come.”
