Nerd Nite

Nerd Nite is an event usually held at a bar or other public venue where 2-3 presenters share about a topic of personal interest or expertise in a fun-yet-intellectual format while the audience shares a drink. It was started in 2003 by then graduate student (now East Carolina University professor) Chris Balakrishan at the Midway Cafe in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston and spread to New York City in 2006, where Matt Wasowski was tasked with expanding Nerd Nite globally. Nerd Nite is held at more than 100 cities worldwide. It launched a short-lived Nerd Nite: The Magazine in January 2012 and has also featured an occasional podcast. It has also held "global festivals" and the 2014 event was co-hosted with Smithsonian magazine.