Digital Storytelling

These monthly socials are a chance to network with other students and professionals in the geomatics field to chat GIS, data, remote sensing, surveying and more in a casual atmosphere. Feel free to bring friends and colleagues along - we're eager to welcome everyone back for a fantastic evening! This is a free event. Please RSVP to let us know you're attending.

🎟 **This is a paid event. Tickets must be purchased on Luma.** **Get yours: [https://luma.com/tiequest-2026](https://luma.com/tiequest-2026)** **\#\#\#\# TiEQuest Summit 2026 \- Building in Canada for the World** A morning built for founders who are done thinking small - and ready to hear how the best in Canada actually went global. **🧠 What to Expect** Sharp talks and practical insights from founders, operators, and investors who are actually doing the work. No fluff, just the real story of what it takes to scale ambitious companies from Toronto to the world. **🤝 Who's in the Room** Founders at every stage. Operators building something meaningful. Investors looking for what's next. If you're shaping the future of Canadian tech, you belong here. **📍 Where** U of T Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, one of Canada's most exciting hubs for tech and entrepreneurship. **📅 Monday, May 25, 2026** **⏰ 8:30AM – 12:30PM** **📍 108 College St, Toronto, ON**

🤝Looking to connect with other creatives and professionals in the events and service space—without the pressure of traditional networking? Join us for a relaxed, casual evening at Chatime 🧋 bringing together creative professionals, event vendors, and small business owners in one room. **Date:** Tuesday, May 25, 2026 **Time:** 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM **Venue:** Chatime Liberty Village **You must [buy your ticket here on Eventbrite to secure your spot](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/may-networking-mixer-for-toronto-creatives-event-professionals-tickets-1988533051888?aff=meetup)**[ ](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/may-networking-mixer-for-toronto-creatives-event-professionals-tickets-1988533051888?aff=meetup)\- an RSVP on Meetup does not count\. ✨ **Come see why [Toronto Event Hub](https://torontoeventhub.com/) networking events are rated one of the best in Toronto!** Celebrate Asian Heritage Month by supporting two local Asian-owned businesses (Chatime & Toronto Event Hub), while meeting like-minded professionals across the GTA. 🤝 Check our events at [Toronto Event Hub](https://www.torontoeventhub.com/).

Join Sandon Jacobs on Monday, May 25th from 6:00pm hosted by Improving! 📍**Venue:** **Improving Office** 171 East Liberty St Unit 235 Toronto, Ontario M6K 3P6 **Directions (171 E Liberty St - Suite 235)** **By transit** Streetcars 504 and 509 both travel close to the office (less than 10 minute walk to the office from either), the lakeshore GO train is also a 5 minute walk from the office. **By car/parking** On street parking is available - there are a handful of paid parking spots directly in front of the entrance - with a large city parking lot across the street. **Entrance** The entrance to the office is beside the Bulk Barn entrance facing Hannah Street. There is an Improving logo on the door. 🗓 **Agenda:** * 6:00pm – 6:30pm: Welcome, Food/Drinks & Networking * 6:30pm - 7:30 pm: **From Chaos to Contract: Governing Data Streams** by Sandon Jacobs **💡 Speaker Details:** Sandon Jacobs, Senior Developer Advocate, Confluent **From Chaos to Contract: Governing Data Streams** So you’re committed to this path of data streaming with Apache Kafka. But, here’s a question: would you build a REST API and make users guess the request and response formats? Doing so opens a Pandora’s Box… * What’s the domain model? * Name the operation… POST? GET? PUT? PATCH? * What does this error code even mean? * Is the documentation - if it even exists - accurate and relevant? * Imagine the complex, repetitive logic every consuming system would need to implement to make sense of it all. In a distributed, asynchronous system, these problems are magnified. Apache Kafka's flexibility—messages as simple bytes—is a huge strength, but it's also a major risk. While your event streams likely consist of some structured data (maybe JSON strings), enforcing structure, managing evolution, and basic validations aren’t a hard requirement. This leaves consumer applications to perform this preprocessing of every event - even if that event has no business value. In this session, we'll define data contracts and how to enforce them at the source - the applications that produce events. We’ll cover the practice of using a schema registry - supporting popular serialization formats like Apache Avro and Google Protobuf - to design events in the terminology of our business domain. Because data structures change over time, let’s discuss safe schema evolution practices. Then we’ll utilize these contracts with schema registry-aware producer and consumer code. We’ll end our time by looking at how smart CI/CD pipelines and build-time checks can add an extra layer of defense against the costly problem of poison data. It’s time to stop guessing and start governing. Join us to learn how to move validation upstream and transform your event streams into high-quality, discoverable data products. You’ll walk away with a practical blueprint for enforcing schema integrity and automating evolution—ensuring your data streams are a trusted asset. \*\*\* DISCLAIMER We don't cater to attendees under the age of 18. If you want to host or speak at a meetup, please email [community@confluent.io](http://community@confluent.io/)

At our last April Meetup ([https://www.meetup.com/volition/events/313622208](https://www.meetup.com/volition/events/313622208)), we broke down what we called: **👉 “The best deal we’ve seen in Toronto in 20 years”** \~6% cap \~$11,000/month rent \~$2,500/month cashflow We didn’t finish. We stopped the presentation short. And, in fact… This is where the deal started to fall apart. **👉 We didn’t even get to the part where the real decisions had to be made.** Instead of people immediately leaving after the presentation was done: 👉 they stayed 👉 they kept asking questions 👉 and the #1 question was: **“When’s Part 2?”** **So here it is – Dead Reckoning: Part 2** (In true Mission Impossible style…) **No clean path forward. Just decisions under pressure.** If Part 1 was identifying the problem… **Part 2 is where we had to execute.** Where we left off: * Power of Sale (seller = lender, not owner) * No protections (Schedule C overrides) * Open permits with real risk * Legally a duplex… not a 5plex * Potential $250K HST exposure **Most investors would walk away here. But we didn’t.** In Part 2, we go into what happened next: * Financing starts to break down * The deal has to be restructured under pressure * Assignment is used to keep control * Appraisal isn’t ready… but a decision still has to be made * The buyer is forced to consider going firm without full certainty At multiple points, this could have: * collapsed entirely * failed financing at the last minute * or left the buyer exposed to problems they couldn’t unwind **This wasn’t a clean process.** It was a series of decisions made under pressure – where getting it wrong could have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. **And most of what mattered… wasn’t obvious.** **This is the part most people never see.** We aren’t talking about the numbers. We’re talking about: 👉 The decisions 👉 The pressure 👉 The execution when things aren’t clean We had to figure out how to move forward – without exposing the buyer to unnecessary risk. **Why this matters:** Most people don’t lose money on obvious bad deals. They lose money when: **“Something feels off… and they don’t know how to navigate it”** The biggest risks aren’t always the ones that look scary – they’re the ones people assume are fine. If you’re actively investing – or planning to – this is the part you need to understand. **You’ll leave with a very different lens on how to evaluate – and execute – deals like this.** Part 1 was about: 👉 Identifying risk Part 2 is about: 👉 What to do when everything starts breaking **Bottom line:** Anyone can analyze a deal. **Very few know how to execute when it gets messy.** We didn’t get through this last time – and we’re picking up exactly where the real execution began. **👉 Come see how this actually played out – and how deals like this get done in the real world.** **Note:** If you came to Part 1 – this is the continuation. If you didn’t – you can still attend… we will be doing a short recap of Part 1. **👉 Just know: this is where the real execution begins.** *** **Schedule:** **Monday, May 25, 2026, 6:00-9:00 pm** * 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm: Check-in and Networking (remember that your network is your net worth!) * 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm: Presentations from the Volition team **Location:** Suite#803, 105 Gordon Baker Road, North York, ON, M2H 3P8. (On the 8th floor of building 105, free underground parking available) \*\*\* **About the Speaker:** * **Matthew Lee,** Founder of Volition Properties, is a thought leader and advocate. Matt is passionate about the transformative change that real estate investing offers when done correctly. Working with investors for over 15 years, Matt has helped clients build over $100M in wealth through strategic Toronto real estate investments, all the while building this Meetup Group into the largest in Toronto with over 5000+ members. Matt brings practical, tested approaches – not theory – to help you structure better deals and maximize upside. * **Ming Lim,** Managing Partner of Volition Properties, is a passionate educator and brings 25 years of real estate investment experience in Toronto, the GTA, and Southwestern Ontario. He loves nothing more than to teach, mentor, and advise. Ming’s background in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo and construction experience give him a unique analytical lens on investing and a practical approach to implementing investing strategies. *** **Volition Properties:** *Make smarter real estate moves — buy, sell, or invest with confidence. Volition Properties offers tailored advice, education, and community — grounded in strategy, built on trust.* Contact us today for any questions about real estate in Toronto! 📧 info@volitionprop.com 🌐 [www.volitionprop.com](https://www.volitionprop.com "https://www.volitionprop.com") 📞 1-877-416-BRRR

Join other Gaymers this evening to work on your DIY project with others and show off your work in progress! Come chat, craft, and work on whatever project you wish! (Or just chill with us!) The only thing you have to do is bring your project, materials, and yourself! Your host, Nef, is also happy to teach you how to crochet :) While this event is free, we encourage folks to get some food or drinks if possible! (Only if this is a possibility for you!) We provide nametag stickers with a pronoun field; we want this to be a comfortable environment for everyone, kindly respect people's listed or stated pronouns. If you are unsure of someone's pronouns, don't assume: Ask, Respect and Practice Definitely ask before taking pictures/videos. \*\*\*Please reach out to [info@torontogaymers.ca](mailto:info@torontogaymers.ca) with any accessibility concerns. [https://linktr.ee/TorontoGaymers](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://linktr.ee/TorontoGaymers&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1753646882381297&usg=AOvVaw00IFqJeQVIkNQH04yjTL6E)

🤝Looking to connect with other creatives and professionals in the events and service space—without the pressure of traditional networking? Join us for a relaxed, casual evening at Chatime 🧋 bringing together creative professionals, event vendors, and small business owners in one room. **Date:** Tuesday, May 25, 2026 **Time:** 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM **Venue:** Chatime Liberty Village **You must [buy your ticket here on Eventbrite to secure your spot](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/may-networking-mixer-for-toronto-creatives-event-professionals-tickets-1988533051888?aff=meetup)**[ ](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/may-networking-mixer-for-toronto-creatives-event-professionals-tickets-1988533051888?aff=meetup)\- an RSVP on Meetup does not count\. ✨ **Come see why [Toronto Event Hub](https://torontoeventhub.com/) networking events are rated one of the best in Toronto!** Celebrate Asian Heritage Month by supporting two local Asian-owned businesses (Chatime & Toronto Event Hub), while meeting like-minded professionals across the GTA. 🤝 Check our events at [Toronto Event Hub](https://www.torontoeventhub.com/).

Join us on May 29th for the launch of *Vivisect*, by Vivi Partridge, published by Inservice Comics—a raw and rambunctious diary comic about a big breakup, making your first graphic novel, therapy, mental health, and befriending characters from manga, by the author of *Quiet Crossings* (Conundrum Press). Vivi will guide us through their artistic process in conversation with Mollie Cronin, author and artist of *Future Me is Fat* (Conundrum Press). We’ll have drinks, snacks (of course), and music. The event starts at 7 PM. After the conversation, there will be a Q&A, followed by time to mingle and celebrate yet another release from one of the most distinctive emerging voices in Canadian comics. **The ticket includes one copy of *Vivisect*. The author will be signing books at the event.**

Tickets must be purchased in advance! [https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/life-lessons-from-a-cardiac-operating-room-by-dr-bobby-yanagawa-tickets-1989051291958?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/life-lessons-from-a-cardiac-operating-room-by-dr-bobby-yanagawa-tickets-1989051291958?aff=oddtdtcreator) Life Lessons from a Cardiac Operating Room — Dr. Bobby Yanagawa Step inside the high-pressure world of cardiac surgery for an unforgettable evening of stories, insight, and conversation with renowned cardiac surgeon **Dr. Bobby Yanagawa**. Hosted by Stellar Socials Lectures, this unique social lecture experience blends intellectual conversation with a stylish nightlife atmosphere — bringing ambitious and curious people together to learn, connect, and engage. From life-and-death decisions inside the operating room to lessons on pressure, leadership, discipline, and the human experience, Dr. Bobby Yanagawa will share captivating stories and perspectives rarely heard outside hospital walls. Whether you’re in healthcare, business, entrepreneurship, or simply love meaningful conversations, this is an evening designed to inspire thought, spark curiosity, and create real connection. ## 🎤 What To Expect • A captivating live lecture by Dr. Bobby Yanagawa • Real stories from the cardiac operating room • Life lessons on leadership, focus, resilience & decision-making • Networking with ambitious, like-minded professionals • A stylish social atmosphere with drinks & conversation ## 🧠 About Stellar Socials Lectures Stellar Socials Lectures brings together professors, experts, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders for engaging talks hosted inside upscale bars, lounges, and social venues. Our mission is simple: create experiences where learning feels social, inspiring, and genuinely enjoyable. Because education shouldn’t stop after graduation. ## 👥 Who Should Attend? • Young professionals • Entrepreneurs & creatives • Healthcare professionals & students • Curious minds & lifelong learners • Anyone looking to meet inspiring people and experience something different ## ✨ Why Attend? ✔ Expand your perspective ✔ Meet new people in a relaxed social setting ✔ Hear fascinating real-world experiences ✔ Enjoy an elevated alternative to traditional networking events 🎟️ Limited tickets available. Early registration is strongly recommended. ## About Dr. Bobby Yanagawa Dr. Bobby Yanagawa is the Division Head, Division of Cardiac Surgery, St. Michael's Hospital and Program Director, Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Toronto. He holds the SURE General Contractors Inc. Professorship in Infective Endocarditis. Dr. Yanagawa completed residency training at the University of Toronto and INOVA Fairfax Hospital (Fairfax, VA) and an advanced valvular fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, NY). His research training includes a PhD at the University of British Columbia and post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Wales College of Medicine (Cardiff, UK) and National Cardiovascular Center (Osaka, Japan). His clinical and academic focus is surgical revascularization and surgery for infective endocarditis. He is the Director of the Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce. His research interests include clinical outcome studies of ischemic and valvular heart disease. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, 40 reviews and 15 book chapters. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Canadian Journal of Cardiology, Guest Editor - Current Opinions of Cardiology and Feature Editor, Annals of Thoracic Surgery. ### **Agenda** 6:00 p.m. - Arrival. Doors open as soon as 5 p.m. Come in, grab a drink, some food, and settle in. If you’d like to sit closer with your friends, we advise coming in early. 7:05 p.m.- Introduction, lecture begins, followed by Q&A 8:15 p.m. -One-on-one with the lecturer, socializing. You can order another round of drinks. 8:30 p.m. -Wrap up

***Tickets must be purchased in advance!*** 🔗: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/toronto-hottest-content-creators-influencers-models-ugc-social-night-tickets-1988831908777 A fun social night for Toronto influencers & content creators—good vibes, great people, and endless content and create collaborations! ## 🔥 Toronto’s Hottest Content Creators, Influencers & UGC Social Night Looking to meet **Toronto content creators, influencers, and UGC creators** in a fun, high-energy, no-pressure setting? Welcome to **Toronto’s Hottest Content Creators, Influencers & UGC Social Night** — an exclusive evening designed for creators who want to **connect organically, create content, and vibe** in one of the city’s hottest venues. ## 🎥 Who Should Attend ✔️ Content creators & UGC creators ✔️ Influencers (micro to macro) ✔️ Videographers & photographers ✔️ Social media managers ✔️ Brand founders & creative entrepreneurs ✔️ Anyone building a personal brand online ✔️ Models Whether you’re growing your first 1,000 followers or managing multiple brand deals, this night is about **community, creativity, and connection**. ## 🍸 What to Expect ✨ A stylish Toronto venue with great lighting ✨ A fun, welcoming crowd of creators ✨ Music, drinks & social vibes ✨ Opportunities to meet collaborators, models & photographers ✨ A space to shoot content, network naturally & enjoy the night No awkward networking. No pressure. Just good people and great energy. ## 🎟️ Ticket Options 🎫 **Early Bird** – Limited quantity 🎫 **General Admission** 🎫 **2-for-1 Creator Tickets** (perfect for bringing a friend) Tickets are limited to maintain a curated experience. **Join Our Community** Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/stellarsocialsbylimitless](https://www.instagram.com/stellarsocialsbylimitless "https://www.instagram.com/stellarsocialsbylimitless") Facebook: [https://www.facebook.com/people/Stellar-Socials-By-Limitless/61567104153339/](https://www.facebook.com/people/Stellar-Socials-By-Limitless/61567104153339/ "https://www.facebook.com/people/Stellar-Socials-By-Limitless/61567104153339/") **Notice of Photography**: Please note that photos and videos will be taken during the event for promotional purposes. By attending, you consent to being photographed and/or filmed. If you prefer not to appear in media, kindly notify one of the event organizers.

Join Toronto’s leading founders, builders, investors, and creatives for a refined post-conference experience during Tech Week. Whether you’re a professional in a STEM field, an entrepreneur, or simply a music lover eager to connect with like-minded people, this is your night. Enjoy a blend of networking and nightlife as we dance and mingle at one of Downtown Toronto’s newest standout venues, Story Toronto. Come for the great vibes, stay for the even better connections. What to expect: * Music * Immersive lighting + elevated venue vibe * Bar + late-night atmosphere Time: 7pm - 1am Location: Story Toronto, 214 Adelaide St W, Toronto

**[GrafanaCON Local](https://grafana.com/events/grafanacon-local/) Toronto - featuring the latest in AI Observability** Join us for a local edition of GrafanaCON — a recap of the keynote highlights combined with fresh voices from the Toronto community, all with an AI twist. We'll dig into actually useful uses of AI in observability, and how to add observability for AI workloads. Free to attend. Pizza and drinks provided. **Talks** 🎤 **Grafana 13: The road to AI-native observability** — Marylia Gutierrez, Principal Software Engineer @ Grafana Labs This talk will walk through Grafana 13 and the most impactful improvements across the platform. Learn how Grafana is continuing to invest in AI to become the first fully AI-native observability platform, and the default choice for agents. 🎤 **Scaling Grafana Assistant: Context, confidence, and AI observability** — Edward Qian, Staff Software Engineer @ Grafana Labs AI agents are only as powerful as the context they receive. In this session, we'll share lessons from building Grafana Assistant and offer practical tips for bringing the right context to get the most out of AI agents. 🎤 **AI tools to optimize your development workflow** — Cristiano Ventura, Senior Software Engineer @ Grafana Labs The way we write software has changed. AI systems read code, plan, execute shell commands, run tests, open PRs, and ship work end-to-end. This talk will showcase useful AI tools and concepts to improve your development workflow. **Agenda** 5:30 PM — Doors open, food + networking 6:00 PM — Talks begin \~8:00 PM — Networking continues 8:30 PM — Wrap *Note that by registering for this event you consent to related event & product communications from Grafana Labs and agree to our [code of conduct](https://grafana.com/events/events-code-of-conduct/).*

🚨📢 **Please register using this link:** 👉 https://usergroups.snowflake.com/e/mwgfby/ **Bring your laptop fully charged. No prior CoCo experience needed.** Join the Snowflake Toronto User Group for **CoCo Labs** — a hands-on evening dedicated to **Cortex Code (CoCo)**, Snowflake's AI coding agent that takes data teams from natural language to production-ready code. ​You'll get a live demo from Snowflake SMEs, guided hands-on lab time, and the chance to build real things: fix a data pipeline and create your first Cortex Agent — all through conversation with CoCo. Wrap up the night by showcasing what you built (only for the brave!), then stick around for networking and happy hour. A light meal and refreshments will be served. **Agenda 🗓️** ​5:00 – 5:15pm - Arrival and check-in ​5:15 – 5:30pm - Welcome + Cortex Code Overview ​5:30 – 5:45pm - Account sign-up and set up of Cortex Code ​5:45 – 6:30pm - Cortex Code Workshop * ​Diagnose a stale pipeline, fix it, and onboard new sources * ​Build your first agent: enable business users to ask natural language questions on our data ​6:30 – 7:00pm - Explore Cortex Code on your own ​7:00 - 7:20pm - Brave Soul Showcase ​7:20 - 8:00pm - Networking & Happy Hour

Join Toronto’s leading founders, builders, investors, and creatives for a refined post-conference experience during Tech Week. Whether you’re a professional in a STEM field, an entrepreneur, or simply a music lover eager to connect with like-minded people, this is your night. Enjoy a blend of networking and nightlife as we dance and mingle at one of Downtown Toronto’s newest standout venues, Story Toronto. Come for the great vibes, stay for the even better connections. What to expect: Music Immersive lighting + elevated venue vibe Bar + late-night atmosphere

Please reserve your spot by registering on the below link : **Reserve** https://www.eventbrite.com/e/join-biggest-community-investors-founders-columbus-online-tickets-1988563717610?aff=meetup **QUESTIONS ?** Pls Reach out to; Ridhi - +971504724873 ( WhatsApp Only)

PLEASE NOTE!!! This event will be In-Person for our very 1st Improving collab! If you know the [Columbus Unity group](https://www.meetup.com/columbus-unity-user-group/) location, we'll be at the same place. This is our 1st event and are doing a soft launch with limited attendance. 1st come 1st serve. If you want to be there and we fill up, please email me at [info@thecogg.com](mailto:info@thecogg.com) and I'll be in touch. All street parking is free on Sundays but you can also pay to park in any of the local garages. See image of [parking map here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mr9_LFIggbs-0_Zd3AJTGNqEhgMf2TzQ/view?usp=sharing). \-\-\- On the last Sunday of the month, we're having our usual end-of-the-month social gathering with our GameDev Meetup meeting. There will be announcements and presentations followed by some social networking Let's continue the conversations with good vibes and friends. All are welcomed from all ages and backgrounds to this public event. If we can, we'll be streaming or uploading the video later via our COGG YouTube channel here: [https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams](https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams) (Also please do subscribe if you have not done so!) No game development experience required! If you are interested in doing a 20 minute game development related presentation, please fill out our form online here: [https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1](https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1) Or e-mail us at info@thecogg.com with the following: Your Name, Company/Affiliation, Name of Your Game/Topic, Description, Tech Needs, and Your Contact. Be sure to check out our Discord for real time news updates: [https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ](https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ)

The topic for June is "Roadtrip" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!

[https://www.originsgamefair.com/](https://www.originsgamefair.com/) [https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026](https://tabletop.events/conventions/origins-game-fair-2026) ### **Discover the Heart of Tabletop Gaming at Origins Game Fair** Celebrate over 50 years of gaming, community, and connection at Origins Game Fair 2026, June 17 to 21 in Columbus, Ohio! Since its inception in 1975, Origins has been the premier gathering for gamers, creators, and fans, offering something for everyone - from seasoned veterans to first-time attendees. Explore exciting events like board and card games, miniatures, roleplaying adventures, LARPs, collectible card games, cosplays, and more. Compete in game tournaments, test your skills in our puzzle competition, and immerse yourself in the Origins Film Festival. Plus, don't miss the massive exhibit hall, filled with the latest games, accessories, and collectibles from top publishers and indie creators alike. Whether you're here to play, learn, shop, or connect, Origins Game Fair offers a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for all. Be a part of a community that has fostered friendships, sparked creativity, and built memories for five decades. Get your tickets today and experience the ultimate tabletop gaming event! ### **Important Dates** **Volunteer Applications Open:** November 28, 2025 - May 15, 2026 **Event Submission Open:** November 14th, 2025 - February 2, 2026 **Volunteer Shift Selection Opens:** February 3, 2025 **Late Event Submission Opens:** February 3, 2026 *There is no guarantee that any events submitted after February 2 will be reviewed or approved.* **Late Event Submission Closes:** April 5, 2026 **Perk Request Deadline:** April 10, 2026 **Layout Request Deadline:** April 15, 2026 **Event Registration Opens:** April 25, 2026 (1 PM EST) ### **Registration Hours:** **Self Serve - Scan and Go** Wednesday - 8am - Midnight Thursday - 7am - Midnight Friday - 7am - Midnight Saturday - 7am - Midnight Sunday - 7am - 2pm **Full Service / Materials Pickup** Wednesday - 8am - 9pm Thursday - 8am - 8pm Friday - 8am - 8pm Saturday - 8am - 6pm Sunday - 8am - 4pm **In 2026 you can go to Scan and Go for tickets purchased after you already have your badge just by scanning the barcode on your badge! Less waiting in line!** ### **Exhibit Hall Hours:** Wednesday - Closed Thursday - 9am - 10am - Premier Badge Holders Thursday - 10am - 6pm - All Attendees Friday - 10am - 6pm - All Attendees Saturday - 10am - 6pm - All Attendees Sunday - 10am - 4pm - All Attendees ### **Gaming Hall:** Wednesday - Noon - 1am Thursday - 8am - 1am Friday - 8am - 1am Saturday - 8am - 1am Sunday - 8am - 4pm ### **Important Information:** **Refunds:** There will be a 10% service fee for ALL Refunds; Badges and Tickets. **Badge Refund Deadline:**. April 15, 2026 No refunds on badges will be processed after this date. **Event Tickets:** \- will be refunded up to 24 hours before the event starts\. All event ticket refunds will have a 10% service fee\.

Join us as we get together to see Paul Rudd in the latest comedy-drama-musical from John Carney, POWER BALLAD! The film follows a washed-up wedding singer, a fading boy band singer and a stolen hit song. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: Rick, a washed-up wedding singer, and Danny, a fading boy band star, bond over music and a late-night jam session. When Danny turns Rick's song into a hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves. Power Ballad is written/directed by John Carney, the master of the modern musical and creative mind behind Once, Begin Again and Sing Street! It stars Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu and Jack Reynor. BUZZ & ACCLAIM: The film premiered to rave reviews at this year’s Dublin International Film Festival where critics call it “a sure-fired crowd-pleaser” that “just might be the feel-good hit of the year!” Others say, “Paul Rudd delivers a career-best performance in this charmer” that’s both “hilarious and deeply moving!” SUMMER OF ICE CREAM, VOL 2: SHAKE NO. 8! Ranked the #1 Ice Cream Shop in Columbus in 2024, this is the perfect place to kick off our Summer of Ice Cream and grab a sweet treat after the show! Their menu features an array of traditional, specialty and vegan shakes, hot cocoa, and more! You can check out their full menu here: [https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php](https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php) PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing and will meet in the lobby area about 20 minutes before the show. Once showtime is announced, advance ticket purchase is advised! Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event. We'll head to nearby Shake No. 8 immediately following the show! Should be a fun one, Dan