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
Ethan Zapach — Growing and Breeding Mushrooms at Home + Helpful Tips to Avoid a Zombie Apocalypse
Bring your nitrile gloves, 70% isopropyl alcohol, and a smile, because we’re heading down the rabbit hole of home mycology! Growing mushrooms at home can provide you with a hack for seemingly unlimited extra food, a wide variety of medicine, or a one-on-one visit with your creator. After you talk to God, you can try role playing as your new friend by breeding novel mushroom strains – just be sure to close the door to your lab before something gets out…
Ethan Zapach is an amateur mycologist and a Director for the Alberta Mycological Society. He spends as much time as he can out in the woods looking for obscure mushrooms to add to his collection and attempt to cultivate indoors. Ethan currently lives in Athabasca, working in science communications and environmental restoration. He also makes freelance documentaries, educational content, and mycology-related videos that can be found on his YouTube channel.
Instagram: @albertamycologicalsociety
YouTube: Ethan Zap