Hacks/Hackers YVR Pub Night: Thursday, Feb 26th. Don't miss it.

[Note: this is a group & event for technology-interested reporters, and journalism-interested technologists. This is very focused group -- on journalism! -- not a general interest tech meet-up. Please consider before RSVPing. Thanks! :) ]

Esteemed Hacks. Enlightened Hackers. Let's us gather in the most traditional of places, and do what has been done for centuries: meet, debate, and drink.

The year is 2015 and there are many good reasons to gather. A transit referendum is upon this city, a federal election is sure to follow. Your fellow Canadians need great reporting on complicated issues more than ever!

This is a call to arms! Let's get 2015 underway by mixing it up with potential collaborators on this journey; let us explore new ways to tell stories that are getting more complex every day. Data stories! Map stories! Timeline stories! Oh my!

Fresh off the bus from the Hacks/Hackers Toronto re-boot is your new Hacks/Hackers YVR co-organizer, Phillip Smith (@phillipadsmith (https://twitter.com/phillipadsmith)). Please take a moment on the 26th to say hello and to share your ideas for Hacks/Hackers YVR in 2015 (offers of a "Welcome to Vancouver" beer will not be turned down).

Also confirmed to attend are a whole cast & crew of notable guests:

Jane Armstrong, Editor-in-Chief, The Tyee; Geoff D'Auria, Web Editor Emeritus, The Tyee; Katie Hyslop, Education Reporter, The Tyee; Miranda Nelson, Assistant Editor, Straight.com; Rachel Nixon, Digital Media Leader, Strategist & Innovator (Microsoft, CBC, BBC); Alexandra Samur, Digital Journalism Instructor, Langara/SFU; Chad Skelton, Data Journalist, The Vancouver Sun; Linda Solomon, Founder/Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, The Vancouver Observer; Hugh Stimson, Mapping/GIS Guru, PlaceSpeak; Gillian Vrooman, Director, OpenDataBC ... and many, many more.

Trust us: you won't want to miss this opportunity to connect with some experts in the field -- to debate matters of importance and to propose some wild-eyed ideas for new journalism-meets-technology projects.

Event location will be posted shortly (if you have suggestions on location, please let us know in the RSVP survey!).

Look forward to seeing you on Thursday, 26th February, 6:30PM at Moose's Down Under (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=830+W.+Pender+St.%2C+Vancouver%2C+BC%2C+V5K+0A1%2C+ca) 830 W. Pender St., Vancouver.

• Miraj Khaled & Phillip Smith - Hacks/Hackers Vancouver 2015