Canned Geek: Australia's Guide to all things Geeky.

2nd - 3rd January (Melbourne, VIC)
OZTAKU ANNUAL WATERMELON SMASH
Otaku's gathering on the beach and smashing watermelons with baseball bats.
http://www.watermelonsmash.com/

7th January (Melbourne, VIC)
T-SPIN
This event combines music provided by live DJs with a SNES Tetris tournament.
http://www.pony.net.au/

8th – 10th January (Perth, WA)
GENGHIS CON
Convention for science fiction, fantasy, gaming and more.
http://www.genghiscon.org/

9th January - 31st January (Adelaide, SA)
AVENUE Q
A Broadway musical aimed at a mature audience featuring a cast of both humans and muppets. Hits Brisbane in August.
http://www.avenueqthemusical.com.au/

22nd - 25th January (Canberra, ACT)
CANCON
Canberra role playing games convention. (Sadly missed finding this one in time this year. Noted here for the future.)
http://www.cgs.asn.au/

23rd - 24th January (Perth, WA)
WAI-CON
Convention celebrating anime and Japanese culture.
http://www.wai-con.org/

23rd - 24th January (Melbourne, VIC)
BRICKVENTION
Very occasionally - very occasionally mind, Canned Geek finds out about an event too late. I'm happy to say Melbourne is home to a LEGO convention - but also sad to say I'm too late to tell you about it in time. Next year, ladies, next year...
http://www.brickventures.com/

23rd - 25th January (Wellington, NZ)
KAPCON
Wellington role playing convention. (Again one of the few events we didn't find until too late. This...this normally doesn't happen.)
http://kapcon.rpg.net.nz/

23rd - 26th January (Melbourne, VIC)
ARCANACON XXVII
Role playing convention.
http://www.arcanacon.org/

29th - 31st January (Melbourne, VIC)
GAME JAM SYDNEY
An 80s themed video game event that includes playing games, panels with guest speakers and small teams building and prototyping games.
http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/the80sareback/index.php/events/80s-gaming-weekend/

30th January (Melbourne, VIC)
OZTREK
An event with actor Patrick Stewart, whose filmography includes Star Trek and X Men.
http://www.firstcontactconventions.com.au/Patrick%20Event%20Melbourne.htm

20th - 21st February (Auckland, NZ)
BATTLECRY
All-round gaming convention, from LARP to tabletop to cards.
http://www.theamericaclub.net.nz/battlecry2010

21st February (Australia-wide)
TROPFEST
Large short film festival held all around Australia simultaneously.
http://www.tropfest.com/au/events.aspx

23rd February - 28th March (Brisbane, QLD)
AVENUE Q
A Broadway musical aimed at a mature audience featuring a cast of both humans and muppets. http://www.avenueqthemusical.com.au/

26th - 28th February (Melbourne, VIC)
CONTINUUM
Science fiction and general geek convention.
http://www.continuum.org.au/

23rd February - 28th March (Brisbane, QLD)
AVENUE Q
A Broadway musical aimed at a mature audience featuring a cast of both humans and muppets. http://www.showbiz.com.au/avenueq/

6th March (Perth, WA)
PERTHFUR GATHERING
A gathering for furries in Perth.
http://gathering.perthfurs.net/

6th MARCH (Melbourne, VIC)
STARGATE 2010
A Stargate event with a large group of star actors from the TV series, including Richard Dean Anderson and Chris Judge.
http://www.thehubproductions.com/events/stargate-2010/home

7th MARCH (Sydney, NSW)
STARGATE 2010
A Stargate event with a large group of star actors from the TV series, including Richard Dean Anderson and Chris Judge.
http://www.thehubproductions.com/events/stargate-2010/home

6th – 7th March (Hobart, TAS)
AICON
Anime and gaming convention.
http://aicon.org.au/

13th March (Auckland, NZ)
TOWN HALL TALK: NEIL GAIMAN
Hugo winning author Neil Gaiaman (Coraline, Stardust, American Gods et al) doing a talk.
http://www.nzfestival.nzpost.co.nz/writers-and-readers/town-hall-talk-neil-gaiman

13th March (Melbourne, VIC)
THE MELBOURNE BRIDE STAMPEDE
A flash mob event where people are encourage to dress in a white dress and chased a single groom around the city.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=271735635717&index=1

20th MARCH (Sydney, NSW)
ANIMANIA
A manga, anime and Japanese pop culture convention.
http://animania.net.au/

20th MARCH (Melbourne, VIC)
TRIOCON
A combined event with three actors; stars from Star Trek, Doctor Who and Friday The Thirteenth.
http://www.firstcontactconventions.com.au/Triocon%20Melbourne.htm

20th MARCH (Brisbane, QLD)
MANA BAR
The grand opening of a video game bar run by some of Australia's most esteemed video game personalities.
http://www.manabar.com.au/

20th MARCH (Perth, WA)
PERTH MEDIEVAL FAIRE
A medieval fair...uh, faire.
http://www.wama.asn.au/

21st March (Sydney, NSW)
ARMAGEDDON
Pop culture expo covering all kinds of geekery.
http://www.armageddonexpo.com/au/

24th  March – 18th April (Melbourne, VIC)
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL
Comedy festival many awesome acts – both geeky and non-geeky.
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/

27th – 28th MARCH (Christchurch, NZ)
ARMAGEDDON
Pop culture expo covering all kinds of geekery.
http://www.pulpexpo.com/

24th  March – 18th April (Melbourne, VIC)
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL
Comedy festival many awesome acts – both geeky and non-geeky.
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/

1st - 5th April (Perth, WA)
SWANCON
Science fiction convention.
http://2010.swancon.com.au/

2nd – 4th April (Wellington, NZ)
ARMAGEDDON
Pop culture expo covering all kinds of geekery.
http://www.pulpexpo.com/

2nd – 5th April (Melbourne, VIC)
CONQUEST
Gaming event for tabletop, freeform, miniatures and more.
http://conquest.asn.au/

2nd - 5th April (Glebe, NSW)
EYECON
Role playing convention.
http://www.eye-con.info/

3rd April (Hobart, TAS)
INTERNATIONAL PILLOW FIGHT: HOBART
An event where people gather in a public area and have pillow fight. BYO pillow.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=300155262254

9th – 11thApril (Brisbane, QLD)
SUPANOVA
Pop culture expo covering all kinds of geekery.
http://www.supanova.com.au/

9th – 11th April (Melbourne, VIC)
MARF
A brand new casual, low budget meetup for furries.
http://marf.thelair.org/

10th April (Melbourne, VIC)
ANIMANIA
A manga, anime and Japanese pop culture convention.
http://animania.net.au/

10th April (Melbourne, VIC)
INTERNATIONAL PILLOW FIGHT: MELBOURNE
An event where people gather in a public area and have pillow fight. BYO pillow.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=324185839555

10th April (Melbourne, VIC)
PIRATES OF THE YARRIBEAN
Pirate themed cruise for geeks along the Yarra river.
http://www.guildofthegoldenowl.com/pirates/

16th – 18th April (Melbourne, VIC)
SUPANOVA
Pop culture expo covering all kinds of geekery.
http://www.supanova.com.au/

19th April - 9th  May (Melbourne, VIC)
SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL
Following the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is Sydney's own comedy fest. We still really highly recommend Tripod Versus The Dragon.
http://www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au/

23rd – 25th April (Gold Coast, QLD)
FURRY DOWN UNDER
Queensland furry meet.
http://furrydownunder.com/

23rd – 30th April (State-wide, VIC)
HUMANS VERSUS ZOMBIES
A massive game that takes place in the real world, with Facebook being used as a means of regulating and keeping track of the game. The premise is you sign up, everyone starts as humans except for a handful of starter zombies. From there it's a week-long game of surviving the spreading zombie disease.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=330341903155

1st May (Brisbane, QLD)
ANIMANIA
A manga, anime and Japanese pop culture convention.
http://animania.net.au/

1st May (Melbourne, VIC)
MELBOURNE ZOMBIE SHUFFLE
Where masses of people dress like zombies and roam the city.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=285589757130

1st May (World-wide)
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
Drop into your local participating comic stores and pick up some free comics. This is happening world wide - check this page to look up what comic stores in your area are taking part.
http://www.freecomicbookday.com/fcbd_global.asp

8th May (Melbourne, VIC)
SUPERNATURAL ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE
An event with three actors from the TV series, Supernatural.
http://www.thehubproductions.com/events/supernatural-2010/home

8th May (Melbourne, VIC)
DOUJICON
The one and only indepedant comic convention returns.
http://doujicon.oztaku.com/

8th May (Melbourne, VIC)
STEAMPUMP
A convention for steampunk enthusiastists, where the Victorian era meets fantastic steam powered machinery.
http://www.historyupclose.com.au/STEAMPUMP2010_Home.htm

9th May (Sydney, NSW)
SUPERNATURAL ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE
An event with three actors from the TV series, Supernatural.
http://www.thehubproductions.com/events/supernatural-2010/home

Post-poned! 14th – 16th May (Hobart, TAS)
TAS SCI FI CON
A science fiction convention, obviously.
http://www.tasscifi.com/ 

15th May (World-wide)
SKETCH CRAWL
Art event where groups of people wander and draw what they see.
http://www.sketchcrawl.com/

11th – 14th June (Canberra, ACT)
PHENOMENON
Convention for gaming of all types.
http://pheno.org.au/

11th – 14th June (Samford, QLD)
GREAT NOTHERN WAR
A complete medieval fair(e) with archery, jousting, fighting, a tavern and a market and GIANT FLAMING SIEGE WEAPONS.
http://www.sca.org.au/gnw/

12th – 14th June (Australia-wide)
COMIKAZE
An art challenge where you create a comic within a 24 hour period.
http://comikaze24.com/

18th -20th June (Sydney, NSW)
SUPANOVA
Pop culture expo covering all kinds of geekery.
http://www.supanova.com.au/

19th June (Melbourne, VIC)
FREEZE FRAME PROJECT
Flash mob where an entire crowd people freeze in a public space.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=267671527859&index=1

19th - 27th June (Melbourne, VIC)
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
Week-long festival screening a variety of animated shorts and features from across the spectum of the medium.
http://www.miaf.net/

24th June - 10th October 2010 (Melbourne, VIC)
TIM BURTON: THE EXHIBITION
ACMI brings us an exhibition on filmmaker Tim Burton. There will also be a masterclass with Tim Burton that will be screening for free on the Federation Square screen.
http://www.acmi.net.au/timburton.aspx

25th -27th July (Perth, WA)
SUPANOVA
Pop culture expo covering all kinds of geekery.
http://www.supanova.com.au/

26th June (Sydney, NSW)
CAN'T STOP THE SERENITY
Charity screening of Joss Whedon films to raise money for Equality Now, an organisation which defends womens rights.
http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com/sydney/

3rd July (Melbourne, VIC)
WHERE'S WALLY HUNT
An attempt at setting a Guiness World Record that invites people to gather dressed as Wally of Where's Wally.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116338798398776

3rd - 9th July (Melbourne, VIC)
COMPUTER GAMES BOOT CAMP
A free event for students (years 9 to 12 only) who want to design games, play games competitively or just play games for fun. Plus over on Level 3 they are currently streaming live video of the event, with more videos over on the Ustream page for the event.
http://www.infotech.monash.edu/promotion/games-boot-camp/

9th - 11th July (Adelaide, SA)
RELOADED LAN
LAN gaming event with several PC and console games across a number of genres.
http://www.reloadedlan.org/

9th - 11th July (Brisbane, QLD)
RIVFUR
The Brisbane annual furry meet up.
http://www.rivfur.org/

9th - 11th July (Perth, WA)
WANIMATE
A competition challenge for teams to produce an entire animated short film in 48 hours straight.
http://www.wanimate.org.au/tiki-index.php?page=WAM+BAM+2010

10th - 11th July (Caboolture, QLD)
ABBEY MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL
A full on medieval festival complete with costuming and jousting.
http://www.abbeytournament.com/

10th - 11th July (Auckland, NZ)
MIDWINTER CORONATION
Medieval style coronoation ceremony complete with tournaments and a feast. (Now booked out.)
http://ildhafn.sca.org.nz/MidwinterCoronation2010

14th July (Melbourne, VIC)
CAN'T STOP THE SERENITY
Charity screening of Joss Whedon films to raise money for Equality Now, an organisation which defends womens rights.
http://melbournebrowncoats.com/events/csts-melbourne-2010/csts-melbourne-launch-party-14-july-2010/

17th July (Melbourne, VIC)
HEY JUDE PROJECT (Post-poned to February 2011)
Flash mob idea which aims to start small and result in a huge crowd singing The Beatles' Hey Jude.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=278066454972&index=1

18th -19th July (Sydney, NSW)
WINTERFEST (Website down - status unknown.)
A medieval festival and tournament.
http://www.winterfest.com.au/

23rd July – 8th August (Melbourne, VIC)
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
International film festival...in Melbourne.
http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/

23rd – 25th July (Adelaide, SA)
AVCON
Anime and video games convention.
http://www.avcon.org.au/

24th July (Auckland, NZ)
DOUJIN OVERLOAD
An anime/manga/doujinshi convention.
http://www.animenz.com/

24th July (McMahons Point, NSW)
BALL D'ARGENT
A medieval dance ball.
http://www.google.com/calendar...GrGg

31st July  (World-wide)
SKETCH CRAWL
Art event where groups of people wander and draw what they see.
http://www.sketchcrawl.com/

23rd July – 8th August (Melbourne, VIC)
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
International film festival...in Melbourne.
http://www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au/

4th August (Melbourne, VIC)
CAN'T STOP THE SERENITY
Charity screening of Joss Whedon films to raise money for Equality Now, an organisation which defends womens rights.
http://melbournebrowncoats.com/events/csts-melbourne-2010/cosplay-celebration-4-august-2010/

4th - 8th August (Sydney, NSW)
GRAPHIC
A festival celebrating comics, animation and other visual arts through a series of special events, including events with Kevin Smith and Neil Geiman and a screening of Akira with the musical score being performed live.
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/About/program_Graphic.aspx

6th - 8th August (Ipswich, QLD)
NORTH OF THE BORDER FENCING FEST
Medieval festival including, of course, fencing, feasting and more.
http://fencing.rhawn.com/

7th August (Sydney, NSW)
SMASH
Anime, comics and manga convention.
http://www.smash.org.au/

13th - 15th August (Dubbo, NSW)
RADBURNE WAR
A medieval faire.
http://lochac.sca.org/radburne/?p=334

14th - 15th August (Melbourne, VIC)
FREEPLAY
An indepedant games festival with a focus on learning game theory and game development from independant game designers, artists and developers.
http://www.freeplay.net.au/

18th August (Melbourne, VIC)
SOCIAL VIDEO: A RIVAL TO TV?
A free panel discussing the divide (and dominance?) of internet video over broadcast television, presented by a panelist who all work in video production.
http://smcmelb.eventbrite.com/

20th - 22nd August (Melbourne, VIC)
MANIFEST
Anime convention.
http://www.manifest.org.au/

20th - 28th August (Melbourne, VIC)
MELBOURNE UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL
Film festival for indie, experiement and otherwise 'underground' type films.
http://www.muff.com.au/

27th August - 5th September (Melbourne, VIC)
MELBOURNE WRITERS FESTIVAL
A weeklong festival with 350 events with over 400 writers from a range of mediums. One of the many events is a keynote with Joss Whedon. (Joss will also be doing the same event in Sydney on August 29.)
http://www.mwf.com.au/

27th - 29th August  (Wellington, NZ)
AU CONTRAIRE
The national science fiction convention.
http://www.aucontraire.org.nz/

27th - 29th August (Auckland, NZ)
CHIMERA
Live action role playing convention.
http://nzlarps.org/chimera/

28th August  (Melbourne, VIC)
TOLKIEN'S ODYSSEYS - MIDDLE-EARTH AND BEYOND
Seminars on the stories and ideas raised in Tolkein's literary works.
http://www.tolkiensociety.org/seminar/seminar-2010.php

28th August (Adelaide, SA)
29th August (Perth, WA)
STARGATE-SG1
Special event with stars of the show, Chris Judge and Corin Nemac.
http://www.thehubproductions.com/events/stargate-sg1/home

29th August  (Melbourne, VIC)
WHERE IN MELBOURNE CBD IS CARMEN SAN DIEGO?
A treasure hunt with a twist, based on the classic video game, Where In The World Is Carmen San Diego?
http://www.guildofthegoldenowl.com/carmensandiego/

29th August  (Sydney, NSW)
JOSS WHEDON: FROM BUFFY TO DR HORRIBLE, INFINITY & BEYOND
A talk with Joss Whedon about his range of creative works.
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/Templates/Event/Event.aspx?id=6442451959

30th August - 1st September  (Melbourne, VIC)
CHANGING THE CLIMATE: UTOPIA, DYSTOPIA AND CATASTROPHE
Conference with science fiction writers and professors on the theme of uptopias and dystopias.
http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/ecps/conferences/utopias/

27th August - 5th September (Melbourne, VIC)
MELBOURNE WRITERS FESTIVAL
A weeklong festival for writers.
http://www.mwf.com.au/

24th June - 10th October 2010 (Melbourne, VIC)
TIM BURTON: THE EXHIBITION
ACMI brings us an exhibition on filmmaker Tim Burton. There will also be a masterclass with Tim Burton that will be screening for free on the Federation Square screen.
http://www.acmi.net.au/timburton.aspx

1st - 3rd October (Adelaide, SA)
RADFUR
Furry meet weekend.
http://radfur.safurs.net/

1st - 3rd October (Melbourne, VIC)
UNICON
Melbourne role playing games convention.
http://www.unicon.asn.au/

2nd October (Adelaide, SA)
ANIMANIA
A manga, anime and Japanese pop culture convention.
http://animania.net.au/

2nd - 4th October (Brisbane, QLD)
48 HOUR GAME MAKING CHALLENGE
A competition in which teams work to develop a game within two straight days.
http://www.48hrgamecomp.com/

2nd - 4th October (Sydney, NSW)
SYDCON
Sydney role playing games convention.
http://www.sydcon.info/

3rd October (Melbourne, VIC)
ARCADIANCE
Fantasy masked ball.
http://www.guildofthegoldenowl.com/masquerade2010/

1st - 4th October (Macclesfield, SA)
GREAT SOUTHERN GATHERING
Medieval faire and tournament.
http://katerina.purplefiles.net./GREAT%20SOUTHERN%20GATHERING%2010/info.html

10th October (Perth, WA)
NANA VISITOR
Special event with Nana Visitor, best known for playing Kira Nerys in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
http://www.thehubproductions.com/events/nana-visitor/home

23rd October (Melbourne, VIC)
EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 30th ANNIVERSARY CHARITY DINNER
Let us gather together to celebrate the awesome of Star Wars by enjoying food and raising money for TLC For Kids.
http://www.empire30th.com/

24th October (Brisbane, QLD)
BRISBANE ZOMBIE WALK
Where a mass of people dress as zombies and stumble through the city.
http://www.brisbanezombiewalk.com/

30th October (Brisbane, QLD)
ANIMANIA
A manga, anime and Japanese pop culture convention.
http://animania.net.au/

1st – 30th November (Worldwide)
NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH
An annual challenge where writers pen a 50,000 word novel in a single month.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/

1st – 30th November (Perth, WA)
NOVEMBER CROWN
Medieval faire and tournament.
http://sites.google.com/site/novembercrown2010/home

2nd – 5th December (Melbourne, VIC)
MIDFUR
The Australian furry convention. Running all day for four days, this is one of the biggest social events on the furry calander. There's a packed schedule during the day and every night ends with a parties, dances and other social events. The guests of honour are German furry Big Blue Fox and comic artist/writer Stan Sakai - best known as the creator of Usagi Yojimbo.
http://www.midfur.com.au/

10th – 13th December (Auckland, NZ)
FURCONZ
An annual campout//gathering at the Kokako Lodge surrounded by the beautiful New Zealand wilderness with a great range of indoor and outdoor activities. 
http://www.furconz.org.nz/

11th December (Sydney, NSW)
12th December (Melbourne, VIC)
GATE TO THE SANCTUARY
A special event with Carmen Argenziano (Jacob Carter in SG-1), Amanda Tapping (Samantha Carter in SG-1), Chuck Cambell (Chuck/Technician in Stargate Atlantis and Ryan Robbins (Ladon Radim in Stargate Atlantis.) 
http://www.cultureshockevents.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=140&Itemid=300088

31st December (Melbourne, VIC)
New Years Eve ball with a neo-Victorian/steampunk theme.
http://www.euchronia.com/

* Girls In Games -  A panel by industry experts aimed at senior high school girls where they talk about the importance and issues of women in the video game industry. Postponed to later in 2010 (Sydney)
* Diffur - A social weekend gathering for furries. The organiser has moved states, so this is cancelled. (Dubbo)
* Nullus Anxietas - A convention centered around Discworld, the creation of author Terry Pratchett. Set for 2011.
 * Dunedin Anime Day - A mini event celebrating anime and animation. (Dunedin)
* Camp Wildpaw - Furry weekend held at a scout camp. (New Zealand)
* A Night In Fantasia -An orchestra performance of video game and anime music. (Sydney, sometimes Melbourne too)
* GO3 - Expo for technology and video games. (Perth)
* eGames Expo - Australia's biggest and best video game exhibition. (Melbourne)
* Freecon - A free science fiction convention. As in, free; you don't have to pay. (Sydney)
* Game Connect Asia Pacific - An expo for the video game industry - from those working in it to its students. (Melbourne)
* MacquarieCon - roleplay gaming con. (Sydney)
* Tas Sci Fi Con - sci fi con, obviously. Postponed for 2011. (Hobart)
* Video Games Live - An orchestral performance of video game music. (Melbourne & Sydney)
* Labyrinth Masquerade - Let's dance like Bowie at this Labyrinth inspired masked ball.

| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Plus events with unconfirmed dates

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