Geek out!
Le Geek – c’est chic!
(…No?)
The inaugural Shreveport-Bossier Geek Fair is just days away, and there’s never been a better time to be a geek in the Port City!
When David Williams attended Shreveport’s Geek’d Con and Bossier’s hosting of the Louisiana Comic Con earlier this year, he realized that there was an untapped portal into Geek culture right here in the SBC.
“I enjoyed both of the events,” said Williams, “and I noticed many of the booths and featured artists were imported from around the country, which was great. But as I started talking to more and more people, I realized how many artists and fans we had for the geek culture here in Shreveport.”
That got him thinking. What about a makers’ fair that celebrated that culture featuring fans and artists who live here, in our fair city? Thus the Shreveport-Bossier Geek Fair was born.
Williams contacted the Centenary Fitness Center and rented it out with his own money in order to sponsor the Geek Fair. He had hoped for “twenty, maybe thirty” people who would be intersted in showcasing their work — what he ended up with was 55 vendors in 58 booths.
“The response was unreal,” said Willims. “I floated the idea out on social media, and within days had hundreds of likes. I was building the Facebook page up as people were already liking and sharing it!”
That just went to show this enthusiast and entrepreneur one thing: his hunch was right.
“People love the geek culture,” he commented. Both the Louisiana Comic Con and Geek’d Con were big hits locally, and Shreveport has its own Geekdom magazine launching this year – which will also be featured at the fair.
Whether it’s Doctor Who, Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Walking Dead, cosplaying, or just a love for comic books and original art — the Geek Fair will have a little something for everyone.
But it’s not just about the geeks for Williams — it’s about the community. At both of the conventions he noticed that “people just came out of the woodwork.” It seemed to be an untapped group of people with shared interests who needed something local to be able to interact and get together more regularly.
And on a personal note, the cons have brought unexpected reward for David and his wife (also an artist), Star Williams.
He shared a story of his son, Elliot, at Geek’d con. “Elliot will be 13 in November. He and his older brother Sean are both autistic. They don’t speak. Elliot loves Marvel superheroes. At the con he met a gentleman cosplaying as Iron Man. He was thrilled! A few days later we were out for a walk, and he started doing something resembling a gallop with his arms in front of him like Iron Man. I realized he was playing make-believe. It was the first time I had ever seen him do this.”
A local home where everyone can geek freely and buy local – that’s what the Geek Fair is all about.
By day, Williams works in Advancement services at Centenary College. By night, however, he is devoted to cultivating a community of artists and enthusiasts locally that could rival any metropolis.
“Buying local is not just a phrase,” says Williams. “It means supporting the education, the arts, the economy. It means creating an active, vibrant community that will nurture the talent we already have and attract more talent to our region. … I see so many students and talented individuals from here leave and go to L.A., New York, Dallas — wherever they feel their art and skills might be more appreciated. Why not here? We have the talent. We have the interest. Why not Shreveport?”
The Geek Fair will take place on December 12th at the Centenary Fitness Center from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and will have a diverse array of arts, crafts, food, music, games, and entertainment. For more information, check out facebook.com/sbgeekfair or www.sbgeekfair.com.
Check out the gallery for pictures of some of the vendors!
