Geek Week PDX: Exploring Portland’s pop culture vibe

Published 5:00 am Wednesday, September 2, 2026

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If you play the game Warhammer, perhaps painting some minis would be something you’d like to do during Geek Week PDX.
(Courtesy/David Raycroft)
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During Geek Week PDX (Sept. 11-20) there will be activities all over the Portland-metro area.
(Courtesy/David Raycroft)

In 2024, a Portland man had a vision – to see just how nerdy and geeky Portland could get.

So, he and some friends created a wild, never-been-done experiment to gauge the Portland area’s pop culture vibe. Piggybacking off of Rose City Comic Con’s three-day weekend run, Geek Week PDX was born.

And folks, that nerdy experiment has grown into something special in the pop culture realm.

The brainchild of David Raycroft, the 2026 version of Geek Week PDX will run Sept. 11-20 and host or welcome events all over the Portland-metro area – and beyond.

This will be a celebration of geek culture held at more than 100 small businesses around Portland.

For one glorious week, Portland becomes a celebration of everything nerdy, creative, passionate, and wonderfully weird.

“Geek Week PDX 2026 marks the third year of our citywide celebration of geek culture – and the growth has been pretty wild,” noted Raycroft. “From 0 to 100 (and one) in three years. This year, Geek Week PDX will feature 101 nerdy nights of programming across our 10-day celebration – up from 70 last year, and starting from ground zero in 2024. We’ve also grown from 6 to 10 Adventure Hubs. An Adventure Hub is a location or organization hosting three or more activities during Geek Week PDX, creating concentrated pockets of geeky activity throughout the city.”

“Last year, approximately 20,000 people participated in Geek Week PDX adventures,” Raycroft continued. “This year, we’re projecting 25-50% growth, potentially bringing participation to 25,000-30,000 people. And while that growth is exciting, we’re really just getting started. There are more than 300,000 geeks and nerds in the greater Portland region, which means we’ve currently swept up less than 10% of the region’s geek population in the Geek Week PDX cosmic wave.”

From games, comics, anime, sci-fi, cosplay, and tech to art, maker culture, film, books, and beyond, Geek Week PDX is a city-wide festival celebrating the communities that make Portland proudly geeky.

Businesses, artists, venues, nonprofits, fan groups, and organizations of all kinds participate by hosting events, running special promotions, throwing parties, and letting their geek flag fly. Participation is flexible, fun, and open to everyone – from major venues to small shops, from long-running organizations to brand-new passion projects.

A complete schedule of events can be found at https://www.geekweekpdx.com/

Geek Week PDX is built around four core ideas:

● Supporting local creators and businesses

● Celebrating fandom in all its forms

● Turning the whole city into a playground for geeks

Here’s a taste of what Geek Week PDX brings to the table:

The Geeking Hour (Sept 10, 4-7 p.m.) A sneak peek happy hour that welcomes the community and celebrates the businesses and supporters that make Geek Week PDX possible at Hey Love 920 E Burnside St., Portland.

Sneaky Sasquatch PDX: A GWPDX Art Hunt (Sept. 11 – 20) Over 25 artists bring Portland’s favorite cryptid to life through hidden, mixed-media installations across the city. The art is out there – can you catch them all?

Citywide Fantasy Fest (Sunday, Sept 13, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) The official opening celebration of Geek Week PDX held at Director Park during Downtown Sunday Parkways, featuring 40 creative vendors, live entertainment, and special guests including the Black Swan from OBT’s production of Swan Lake.

Warrior Princess Bash (Saturday, Sept 19, 7-10p.m.) A celebration of courage, creativity, and community benefiting Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Inspired by iconic female heroes across fandom and folklore, this event raises critical support for care, research, and life-changing programs. The Paladin’s League 4765 NE Fremont St., Portland.

Portland by the Numbers: A Geek Capital

● Approximately 300,000 self-identified geeks call the region home

● Portland leads the nation (per capita) in:

– Independent bookstores (more than New York City)

● Over 140 small businesses participate in Geek Week PDX

● $160,000 in direct spending generated in 2025

● 82% of events are free and all are open to the public