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Nerdy Nights: Best Events For Geeks In Sacramento

Definitions change over time, and this is especially true for "geeks" and "nerds." No longer confined to pocket protectors and slide rules, geeks and nerds cover intense interest in a wide variety of pursuits. Check out where to go to get you geek on in your chosen nerd platform?

(credit: bowscollective.com) (credit: bowscollective.com)

Bows & Arrows
1815 19th St.
Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 822-5658
www.bowscollective.comSacramento Connect has a monthly reading series, "Words Aloud," held at Bows & Arrows. Local bloggers, writers, poets, reporters and anyone who writes come together to share their works. Get your writing geek on and show up at this eclectic gathering for the chance to enrich your writing and insights. Have a blast listening to the featured bloggers present their works. Take advantage of the open mic and use two minutes to fling your own stuff out there. Authors, writers, bloggers and tweeters enjoy the company of like-minded, but very diverse word-meisters.

capitol garage geeks
Geeks Who Drink
Capitol Garage
1500 K St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 444-3633
www.geekswhodrink.comHow about a get together with a bunch of geeky players for a rousing round or two of pub trivia? Questions run the gamut from the celebrities who are constantly in the foul ball lane, wordplay at its best and bad television, which includes a virtual ocean full of possibilities. Make no mistake though, this is high-stakes stuff and requires the little grey cells to be functioning at ludicrous speed. Teams are up to six players deep. For the arrogant and adventurous, a one-person team is permitted. Expect no quarter, but do expect bonus rounds with free pints sprinkled through the match. Don't want to play? Come on down anyway and just enjoy the fun, games and hilarity in a fantastic venue. Trivia night is on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m.Related: Best Bars To Celebrate Your Birthday In Sacramento

(credit: sacramento.downtowngrid.com) (credit: sacramento.downtowngrid.com)

Second Saturday Art Walks
Central City
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.sacramento.downtowngrid.comArt geeks have a chance for overload every second Saturday in Sacramento. Lighting off around 5 p.m., the city turns into an amazing conglomeration of open art shops, studios, vendors and just plain fun. If it exists in the art world, you are likely to find it here. Bronze casting, painting and drawing demonstrations and sculpture are spread throughout the downtown grid. The Art Walk comes in two flavors, one being the studio crawl and the other being the outdoor vendors and performers on J Street.

(credit: railbridgecellars.net) (credit: railbridgecellars.net)

Rail Bridge Cellars
400 N. 16th St.
Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 492-2530
www.railbridgecellars.net

There is no need for a drive into the Napa Valley or the wine country of El Dorado County. In your own backyard, this urban cellar will fill your glass with wine and the requisite dance that all aficionados demand. Sniff, sip, swirl and spit. Get into the finer points of turning the grape into nectar through conversations with other vino freaks and the guys who own Rail Bridge. They'll help you crush your own grapes as well as enjoy a glass or two of theirs. Second Saturday tastings go from the afternoon through the night.RelatedBest Sommeliers in Sacramento

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Hot Italian
1627 16th St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 444-3000
www.hotitalian.netThe cycling world is full of bike geeks, interwoven with bike nerds, traveling full bore in an intense peloton. Catering to this crowd, bike gear, bike-specific goodies, bikes and bike events are all necessary. How about parking for 32 bikes, sales of PUBLIC Bikes and allowing bikes inside the restaurant? Well yes, that would qualify. Throw in bike maps, bike apparel featuring the Hot Italian, screening of big races and bike-themed events on a regular basis, and the pedal geeks ride up in droves. The food and beverages here are, all by themselves, worth a visit by food geeks.

Charles Ferris is a freelance writer who has lived in the Sierra, halfway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, for the last 37 years. He retired from teaching after 36 years in 2010. He and his wife hike, kayak, cross country ski, snow shoe, ride mountain bikes and road bikes, year round. His work can be found at Examiner.com.

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