Geek Week WR starts next Monday and runs for seven days, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate the collaborative efforts of creators, makers, thinkers and leaders in the region than a week jam-packed with events. Running Sept. 14-20, it’s a sampling of diverse happenings in Waterloo Region— from grassroots, academic, and institutional levels— which celebrate the convergence of tech and the maker spirit.

Events include:

Sept. 14, 8:00 p.m.- 11:00 p.m. at the Communitech Hub, HackerNest Kitchener-Waterloo, a relaxed social to connect with locals in the tech ecosystem.

Sept. 16, 4:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. at the Accelerator Centre, Accelerator Centre Client Showcase, a chance to connect with over 40 of the highest potential startups in Waterloo Region.

Sept. 16, 6:30 p.m. at the Communitech Hub, Nerd Nite Kitchener Waterloo. “Edutainment” at its best; trivia and short speeches celebrate nerd culture.

Sept. 16-18 at the University of Waterloo and Communitech, Waterloo Innovation Summit, a look at what drives leading innovation ecosystems. The keynote speaker is Steve Blank (Godfather of Silicon Valley.)

Sept. 18, 5:00- 8:30 p.m. at the Tannery Event Centre, Communitech Rev Centre Stage, spotlighting the first cohort of startups graduating from Communitech’s sales-focused accelerator.

Sept. 18-20 at the University of Waterloo, Hack the North, the largest hackathon in North America will host 1,000 students from all over the globe over the course of 36 hours to create new things with software and hardware. Judges include Alexis Ohanian, the founder of Reddit, and Eric Migicovsky, CEO of the Pebble smart watch.

Sept. 19, 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. at Kitchener City Hall, Maker Expo, the family-friendly event features makers and DIYers passionate about creating things both physically and virtually. Individuals, teams, and organizations will offer demos, workshops and interactive exhibits.

Sept. 19 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. all over the region, Doors Open Waterloo, where local tech companies Clearpath Robotics, HockeyTech and Aeryon Labs will be open for the public to explore.

Keep up with all things Geek Week WR on Facebook and Twitter. Or learn more at www.geekweekwr.ca.