EVENTS This Week—Easter Fools’ Day Edition: Pirates vs. Zombies
This week, we’ve got Easter and April Fools’ Day back-to-back. [Insert plethora of obvious jokes here.] As usual, events are all over the map, from the spring opener of egg hunting season to celebrations of the Flying Spaghetti Monster for the Pastafarian pirates among us. But I admit that this posts subtitle is a false dichotomy. You have many more choices than just pirates or zombies. For example, you could spend Easter weekend with a bunch of atheists, including Surly Amy and her grant winners, at the American Atheists Convention. If you’re in the UK, you could check out the CFI-UK conference or the continuing Edinburgh International Science Festival.
The month ahead is actually packed with conferences that you might want to register for if you haven’t already:
- Northeast Conference on Science & Skepticism (NCESS), April 5–7, New York City. Rebecca will part of the live SGU episode.
- Northwest Freethought Alliance, April 5-7, Portland, OR
- SkepTech, April 5–6, Minneapolis, MN. Kate and I will be there.
- ScienceOnlineTeen, April 13, New York, NY.
- QED, April 13–14, Manchester, UK
- International Festival of Science Documentary Films, April 16–21, Olomouc, Czech Republic. Rebecca is speaking.
- The South Dakota Conference of Reason, April 20, Chamberlain, SD
- ReasonFest, April 20–21, Lawrence, KS
- 2013 Lobby Day & Secular Summit, April 24–26, Washington, DC
- CFI’s Student Leadership Conference, April 26–28, CFI–Los Angeles. Heina and Debbie are both speaking.
EDIT:
If you’re looking for a smaller crowd and discussion, our events calendar lists a ton of book clubs, game nights, regular meetings, and pub events. More and more groups are also having much-needed conversations about race, women, and diversity in general, such as the rescheduled screening and filmmaker Q&A for the The Black Girl Project as well as a talk on The Challenge of Integration in Fractured Communities, both going on in Baltimore. In Chicago, Dorothy Roberts is speaking on Re-creating Race in the 21st Century, and in New York, you can join in the 50 Shades of Consent conversation.
Featured Events for March 29–April 4
Below are some highlights of events around the U.S. (listed by region), in Australia, Canada, Iceland, Singapore, South Africa, and the UK. You can find a ton more going on all over the world in our events calendar.
Don’t see your area listed here or in the calendar? Shoot us an email, or let me know in the comments what area you are interested in.
NORTHEAST
Baltimore, MD—Multiple
Sat., March 30: The African-American Humanist Society is getting together at the Lewis Museum to watch The Black Girl Project, followed by a panel discussion with filmmaker Aiesha Turman and cast members. Note: This is rescheduled from March 9. Museum admission required: $8; $6 for students, ages 7–17 and 65+; free for children 6 and under and for teachers.
Sun., March 31:
- Fabio Lomelino, project director for Community Conversations, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, is giving a talk on “The Challenge of Integration in Fractured Communities” at the Baltimore Ethical Society.
- Roy Zimmerman, satirical singer/songwriter, is giving a concert at the Baltimore Ethical Society (and in Philadelphia and Wilmington, NC—see below). $5–$25 (sliding scale).
Boston, MA, Mon., April 1
Socializing for Justice is hosting Skillshare: Make Your Voice Matter With Lawmakers, a workshop led by advocacy trainer, consultant, and speaker Miriam Stein, author of Make Your Voice Matter With Lawmakers: No Experience Necessary is based on a unique curriculum. $10.61 (incl. PayPal fee).
Concord, MA, Wed., April 3
Concord Area Humanists are hosting Steve Ahlquist of Rhode Island Humanists to talk about secular activism in Rhode Island.
New York, NY, Tues., April 2
The New York Younger Women’s Task Force is hosting “50 Shades of Consent,” a discussion on sexual violence prevention, media framing, and what consent means to individual women and women as a whole.
Lancaster, PA, Mon., April 1
The Lancaster Freethought Society is hosting a talk by David Kolesar, “The Scientific Methods.”
Philadelphia, PA—Multiple
Mon., April 1: Roy Zimmerman, satirical singer/songwriter, is giving a concert, “Wake Up Call,” at the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia, co-sponsored by the Freethought Society. $18 (sliding scale).
Wed., April 3: The Delaware Valley Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State is hosting a talk by attorney Arthur Kaplan, “The Boy Scouts: Be Prepared for Inequality.”
Pittsburgh, PA—Multiple
Sat., March 30: The Veritas Forum is hosting a panel at Carnegie Mellon, “Faith & Science: Friends or Foes?” with panelists representing Christian, Humanist, and Unitarian perspectives.
Sun., March 31: Join the Steel City Skeptics on Easter at The Book of Mormon musical.
Wed., April 3: The American Constitution Society is hosting a talk by police profiling expert David Harris on “Failed Evidence: Why Law Enforcement Resists Science.” Free but pre-registration required.
Hampton, VA, Tues., April 2
NASA Langley’s Sigma Series Lecture is on “Ion Propulsion: Cheating the Death of the Sun by Relativistic Interstellar Spaceflight,” with theoretical physicist Friedwardt Winterberg.
SOUTHEAST
Wilmington, NC, Sat., March 30
Join the Humanists and Freethinkers of Cape Fear for a concert by Roy Zimmerman, satirical singer/songwriter. $15.
Memphis, TN, Sat., March 30
The Memphis Atheists are having a Family Easter Egg Hunt. Join the group for location and details about what to bring.
SOUTHCENTRAL
Conway, AR, Sun., March 31
Join the Conway Freethinkers for the Annual Toad Suck Picnic. Find out more about how to join and what to bring here.
Norman, OK, Thurs., April 4
The Science Cafe at Norman Public Library features Dave Turner of NSSL speaking on the role of clouds in melting the Greenland ice sheet.
Austin, TX, Thurs., March 28, to Sun., March 31
The American Atheists National Convention is this weekend, with a ton of speakers lined up, including AC Grayling, Katherine Stewart, Ophelia Benson, Greta Christina, Richard Carrier, Hemant Mehta, Matt Dillahunty, Surly Amy, and more.
Corpus Christi, TX, Sat., March 30
The Corpus Christi Atheists are having an Egg-stravaganza, a family event at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History. Egg hunt is for kids only and is free with museum admission: $6–$12.50.
Houston, TX, Tues., April 2
The Houston Museum of Natural Science is hosting a talk by the curator of biological anthropology at the Field Museum in Chicago, Robert Martin, on “Evolution of Mothering: The Natural Heritage from our Deep Mammalian Past.” $18; $12 for members.
MIDWEST
Chicago, IL, Sat., March 30
Theoretical physicist Ivan Phillips is giving a talk to the Secular Events in Chicago group: “Transhumanism 101.”
Skokie, IL, Sun., March 31
Dorothy Roberts, professor of law and sociology, is speaking at the Ethical Humanist Society of Chicago on “Fatal Invention: Re-creating Race in the 21st Century.” Free. Childcare available.
Minneapolis, MN, Sun., March 31
Celebrate His Noodliness at the MN Atheists Flying Spaghetti Monster Dinner, a fundraising event for the radio fund. RSVP here.
St. Paul, MN, Fri., March 29
MN Atheists are joining in on a Planned Parenthood Solidarity Event, a rally in response to the usual increase in anti-abortion protesters on Good Friday. RSVP here.
Akron, OH, Mon., April 1
The Secular Student Alliance at the University of Akron is throwing a Reason Rally and Superstition Bashing Party on April Fools’ Day.
Cincinnati, OH, Tues., April 2
The Skeptic’s Society is meeting up at the AC Grayling book signing, where he’ll talk about his latest book, The God Argument: The Case Against Religion and for Humanism.
SOUTHWEST
Tempe, AZ, Fri., March 29, to Monday, April 1
ASU Origins has several events going on as part of its Origins Stories weekend, including a film screening of The Unbelievers, book signings, and panels and discussions with Bill Nye, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Brian Greene, Ira Flatow, Neal Stephenson, Tracy Day, Richard Dawkins, and Lawrence Krauss.
WEST
Fremont, CA, Mon., April 1
The Ohlone Psychology Club is hosting a presentation by Bryan & Baxter, paranormal claims investigators: “What THEY Don’t WantYou to Know.” $15; $10 students.
Fresno, CA, Sun., March 31
Join Skeptics Without A Cause for an Easter Heathen BBQ Potluck, with rumors of an egg hunt. Find out more, including what to bring, here.
Pasadena, CA, Wed., April 3
Theoretical physicist John Preskill is giving a talk at Caltech on “Quantum Entanglement and Quantum Computing.” Free.
Sacramento, CA, Sun., March 31
Sacramento Freethinkers, Atheists & Nonbelievers are having their 6th Annual Flying Spaghetti Monster Party, with a costume contest, pirate singing, and of course the most holy dish, spaghetti (including vegan options).
San Diego, CA, Sat., March 30
Physicist and technology entrepreneur David Schaafsma is giving a lecture at the Humanist Fellowship on “Evolution, God, and the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics.”
Santa Barbara, CA, Fri., March 29
Humanist folk singer Tom Neilson is giving a concert, Music for Social Change, at the Santa Barbara Main Public Library, Faulkner Gallery. $15.
Turlock, CA, Fri., March 29
Join the Stockton Area Freethinkers for a talk at CSU, “Myth: Ways to Think about It and Why,” by Alan Lenzi, professor of religious and classical studies.
Colorado Springs, CO, Wed., April 3
Robert Sapolsky, professor of biology and neurology and award-winning author, is giving a talk at Colorado College on “Religion and Religiosity: A Jaundiced Neurobiological Perspective.”
Salt Lake City, UT, Sun., March 31
Atheists of Utah–Zion Sect are having a family event at the Clark Planetarium, which has free exhibits, hands-on astronomy and physics, IMAX and Hansen Dome theaters, and more. RSVP.
NORTHWEST
Eugene, OR, Sat., March 30
Join the CFI Skeptics of Eugene for a Game “Night”/Zombie Jesus Eve/Social/Potluck. RSVP here.
AUSTRALIA
Sydney, Thurs., April 4
Australian Skeptics in the Pub are hosting a talk by Shane Greenup on rbutr, an online project to minimize confirmation bias.
CANADA
Ottawa, ON, Fri., March 29
CFI Ottawa presents epidemiologist Alex Demarsh speaking on “Pandemic Disease—Should We Be Worried?” $5; $2 for members.
ICELAND
Reykjavík, Tues., April 2
If you’re in the area, join the Efast á Kránni (Iceland Skeptics in the Pub) this Tuesday night.
SINGAPORE
Sat., March 30
The Humanist Society Singapore is having its 3rd Annual General Meeting this Saturday afternoon.
SOUTH AFRICA
Westville, Wed., April 3
Join the Durban Freethinkers Wednesday evening for a discussion about What to Tell the Kids about religion.
UK
Edinburgh—Multiple
Sat., March 30: The Humanist Society of Scotland is presenting “2038: The End of Religion?” at the Edinburgh International Science Festival, a panel with Paul Braterman, Keith Gilmour, and the Rev. Andrew Frater. £10/£8.
Tues., April 2: Edinburgh Skeptics’ Science Festival Fringe talk for Tuesday is by Karen Petrie, of the School of Computing at the University of Dundee, “Robots and Artificial Intelligence.”
Wed., April 3: The Science Festival Fringe talk for Wednesday is by neuroscientist Amie Milton, “Can We Erase Memories?”
London, Sat., March 30
The Centre for Inquiry UK conference Tricks of the Mind is this weekend, with speakers on magic, hypnotism, the paranormal, and more. Get your tickets here.
Want to promote your skeptical, atheist, humanist, science, or just all-around geeky event or group on our events calendar? Click here to send us the details.
Featured images by Megan and Mark at Deed The Inky Dot Com.