Nerd Nite Edmonton is back for spooky season. Come join us for drinks and spooky merriment. Come show off your costume and you could win tickets! Hear about AI horror, creepy crawlies, and a third mystery topic the night before Halloween.
When: Thursday, Oct 30th, at 7:30pm
(Doors & bar open at 7pm, with drinks available all night)
Where: Studio Theatre at Fringe Theatre Adventures
Fringe Theatre Arts Barn, 10330 84 Ave NW, Edmonton
How much: $30
Bree Taylor — When The Flesh Mask Slips: Analog Horror and Artificial Intelligence
Horror reflects the anxieties and fears of the context in which it was written. Analog Horror, an emerging sub genre online, has risen in popularity with increasing usage of generative AI. This talk will illustrate the ways in which AI models like ChatGPT play on our fears around nostalgia, relationships, and entities that seem human — but something isn’t quite right.
Bree Taylor is a queer settler, writer, and poet living on Treaty 6 territory. She earned her B.A. from the University of Alberta, where they won the L. June Kelly Prize in Introductory Poetry. In 2022, they were a finalist for the Dell Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing, and in 2025 they were the recipient of the UBC Peliplat Prize. Their fiction has appeared in Quagmire Magazine and Polymorphic. Bree is pursuing her MFA at the University of British Columbia, where she is writing a queer horror novella as her thesis.
Instagram: @the.breetaylor
BlueSky: @breetaylor0.bsky.social
Ilan Domnich — Creepy Crawlies
In his own words, “all of my favourite bugs are the most horrific ones”, so sit down and hear about terrifying creepy crawlies from an honest-to-goodness learned entomologist.
Ilan Domnich is an entomologist finishing his Master’s at the University of Alberta. When not outside looking at bugs, Ilan can be found at home working on his art and caring for his many plants and animals. He is also a Nerd Nite veteran who has entertained attendees before with his infectious (insectious?) charm.
Instagram: @crude_organism
Secret Third Speaker — Secret Talk
Your third speaker will be a surprise. You like surprises, don’t you? Mua ha ha haaaaa!
Our third speaker may or may not have been a human being. Precautions are in place to avoid any chainsaw mishaps or infectious bites.