2014 Philadelphia Geek Awards

Guests in "Geek Chic" convened at the Academy of Natural Sciences to celebrate the best of Philly's vibrant geek community.

By HughE Dillon· 8/18/2014, 12:19 p.m.

Excitement reigned on the sidewalk outside The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University on Saturday night as the 4th Annual Philadelphia Geek Awards got underway. Guests, nominees, and presenters walked the red carpet and posed for photographers before heading into the museum to enjoy the the 90-minute cocktail reception held among the many fascinating exhibits in the museum including full sized dinosaurs, fossils, live butterflies and animal dioramas. Some 400 guests were dressed in “Geek Chic” and ready to party.

The Academy staff was also circulating with live snakes, owls, lizards, and bugs, and many people — including yours truly — took #Selfies to share with the world on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (#PhillyGeekAwards). Then the moment arrived when Geekadelphia co-founder Eric Smith and editor Mikey Ilagan opened up the ceremony with witty banter and gracious appreciation of the sold-out crowd.

Throughout the 90-minute ceremony, awards were given and the audience was entertained by the humor of the presenters and winners. Those geeks are smart and funny. The after-party was held at North Bowl, and was well attended. Many of the ladies told me they were excited to take off the heels and slip into some comfortable bowling shoes.

For best results, view gallery in full-screen mode.

Philly Geek Awards 2014

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Kelsey Brait and Adam Teterus.

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Whitney Nelson and Rob Perdue.

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Nick and Angie Hilem. Angie is a marketing communications specialist for NextFab Studio which created the trophies awarded to the winners.

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Devon Darrow (wearing Alice & Olivia) and Jan Mlčoch.

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From left: Beth Beverly, artist and taxidermist, and Maria Eife, jewelry designer.

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Mike Kaczmarczik shows guests an African Pigmy Hedgehog.

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Playing Dance Dance Evolution are (front, from left) Lansie Sylvia, Andrew Panebianco, with (back row) Mary Bailey, Kara Lindstrom and Elena Kanevskaia cheering them on.

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Allie Harcharek and Mikey Ilagan, editor of Geekadelphia. Allie and Mikey are getting ready for their upcoming wedding in October. Their reception tables are all named after fictional places from places that can be found in Game of Thrones, and sci fi movies.

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Eric Smith and fiancée Nena Boling. Their wedding is next year at the Power Plant.

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Dane Fetterman and Lisa Mullinax. Dane's favorite geek gadget is his Mac Book Air. The longevity of the battery is a life saver.

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Richard Ashworth and Geneviève Dion, director, Shima Seiki Haute Technology Laboratory at Drexel University. Congrats to Geneviève as she won "Scientist of the Year."

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From left: Corey Crawford (her favorite geek gadget is Excel) and Jessica Samph.

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From left: Ian Leibovici, Ginger Rudolph, Kid Hazo, a Philadelphia street artist out to catch a few smirks and smiles, Sonia Petruse of Paperclips 215 and Kelley Stone.

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From left: Leslie Birch, who was up for Geek of the Year, looked fabulous in her Hunger Games-inspired LED dress powered by a spinning gyro. Jo Pincushion of Scrapple TV was also uniquely dressed.

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Lori Renner and Halsted Larsson attempt to walk like a Dinosaur.

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Congrats to Start-up of the Year winner Molly Hayward, founder of Cora, a for-profit business delivering safe, healthy organic menstrual management products to women monthly by mail.

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Joel Hodgson, co-founder of Mystery Science Theater 3000, presenting the award for “Geek of the Year."

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From left: Jason Richardson of The Black Tribbles, anime convention host, and comic book artist, was named Geek of the Year; with fellow Black Tribbles Len Webb (podcast producer), Randy Green, Erik Mack, and Kennedy Allen. Black Tribbles won the Streaming Project of the Year. The podcast is “everything sci-fi, comic books, movies, video games, cartoons and anything a geek would love … tossed around by the 5-headed hairy hoard of Black Tribbles.”

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From left: Congrats to TreePhilly’s Erica Smith Fichman and Lindsey Walker who won Social Media Project of the Year. The City’s Parks and Recreation Department launched #TreePhilly, a campaign that posted signs all around town in an effort to give away more than 1,500 free trees.

HughE Dillon covers parties, events and more for Philadelphia magazine’s The Scene. You can follow him on Twitter at @iPhillyChitChat and visit his daily online social diary PhillyChitChat.com.