Retro Nerdfest returns to SUNY Adirondack

QUEENSBURY, New York (March 17) — SUNY Adirondack student clubs bring Adirondack Retro Nerdfest back to campus from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 5, in Northwest Bay Conference Center on the college’s Queensbury campus.

The inaugural Adirondack Retro Nerdfest was a smashing success in 2023.

“It’s a throwback to the days of analog and early digital entertainment,” said Kevin Ankeny, distinguished professor of Broadcasting and faculty advisor of Adirondack Broadcast Association, which along with Media Arts Club sponsors the event. “Old-school stuff is trendy and it’s being driven by the resurgence of music on vinyl records. This event combines these retro aspects with the pop culture convention atmosphere that’s been happening for a decade or so.”

The event is a Comic Con-style experience featuring an arcade area with pinball machines and arcade video games, live DJs playing music from vinyl, a “Smash Brothers” video game tournament, cosplay costume contest and an array of vendors selling vinyl records, comic books, tabletop games, action figures, trading cards and other pop culture items. 

Admission is free for students with a valid college ID and $5 for nonstudents.  

The “Smash Brothers” video game tournament will be operated by the college’s Gaming Club. Snacks and refreshments will be prepared and sold by the Culinary Arts Club. The cosplay costume contest will be sponsored and judged by Theater Club.

Adirondack Retro Nerdfest is produced with the help of Cooper’s Cave Games, Sweet Side Records and the college radio station, WGFR.

Updates and details are available on the radio station website, wgfr.org.

Vendor space is available by contacting the organizers through the webpage.