Nerd Nite Philly

Posts Tagged ‘oktoberfest’

Nerd Nite No. 42: Oktoberfest! Conjoined Twins! The Science of Being Spooked! Plus entertainment by the One Man Sideshow

Yo Nerds!

Are you ready for the October edition of Nerd Nite Philly? 
We have a little something for everyone ranging from the history of beer to the science of being scared 
and a wild card with a talk about conjoined twins by an expert from the Mutter Museum. But there’s more! 
Friend of Nerd Nite, David Darwin, will be once again performing his One Man Sideshow act for 
our entertainment.

Without further ado, the discussions at hand:

"Beer, Brats, and Bavaria: A History of Oktoberfest" by John Ceccatti

The first Oktoberfest was celebrated in 1810 to honor the marriage of the Bavarian Crown Prince. The early
festivities included a horse race and a display of local agricultural products. Munich brewers joined the
event later in the 19th century, although the malty amber lager they served likely emerged much earlier
in response to the Reinheitsgebot, the 16th-century Bavarian brewing law that prohibited brewing during
the warm summer months. To comply, Bavarians brewed a stronger beer in March – Märzen in German – that was
stored in cool caves and would be drinkable all the way to October. As this year’s Oktoberfest draws to
a close, it seemed like an opportune moment to explore the connection between beer and history in Bavaria.

About John: John Ceccatti, a lecturer in the history of science at the University of Pennsylvania, studies
the history of the German brewing industry. Although he has visited Oktoberfest in the past, he would rather
enjoy German gemütlichkeit in Munich’s famed englischer Garten or at the Andechs monastery in the
Bavarian countryside.

Tom Knabe will talk about The Science of Fear: Why Haunted Houses Scare Us

Millions of people attend haunted attractions every year for the thrill of being scared. But what causes
us to be fearfully startled? Tom Knabe, Creative Director for Fright Factory haunted attraction in
South Philadelphia, has been in the industry for 9+ years and will go over many of the classic and modern
scenarios haunted attractions use to maximize fear levels.

"Conjoined Twins: Together Forever?" by Marcy Engleman

They say twins are close, but conjoined twins take that to the extreme. Monsters, freaks of nature, 
abominations: all things people have thought about conjoined, or “Siamese” twins. How do conjoined twins 
happen? This talk will highlight these amazing people throughout history, their origins, lives, and for 
some, separation.

About Marcy: Marcy Engleman is the Museum Educator at the Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of 
Philadelphia. She is proudly a committee member of the Museum Educators Roundtable. Marcy graduated from Penn 
State University with a BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Science and at home, she maintains her own personal zoo 
of reptiles and a bird. Marcy is the mother of twin girls.

Plus Entertainment by David Darwin!

The logistics:
Wednesday, October 1
Doors open at 4pm. Show starts at 7:30pm
$5 cover gets you happy hour specials all night plus admission to this fantastic night
Frankford Hall, 1210 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19125

Be there and be square!

Love,
The Nerd Nite Philly Squad

Posted in Uncategorized |

Tags: beer, Mutter Museum, oktoberfest, sword swallowing, weird science |

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Nerd Nite No. 18, September 19, 2012

Hey guys!

Oktoberfest is here! We at Nerd Nite are amped up to celebrate it with you in as nerdy a way as possible.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012
doors at 7:00, show at 7:30
Frankford Hall at Frankford & Girard
$5 cover

On tap:

“Becoming German: Redefining “Pennsylvania Dutch” in the 19th Century” by Zachary Langley

The so called “Pennsylvania Dutch”, a German ethnic group, began arriving in Pennsylvania in the 17thcentury. Over the course of nearly 200 years, they created a unique folk culture in the colony, and then state, of Pennsylvania. Sharing a common langauge, agricultural background, and often from similar regions of the German states, this group became a uniquely American culture, that is until the arrival of so called “New German” in the middle of the 1800’s. The noticable differences between these groups would spark a curiosity for many Pennsylvania Dutch to understand their place in a new German ethnic diaspora. The result was what has been termed the “Germanization” movement focused largely in the city of Philadelphia among urban Pennsylvania Dutch during the late 19th century. This presentation will explore the history of these two immigration movements, their differences and commonalities, and the attempts by the Pennsylvania Dutch to redefine their culture by rediscovering their European roots.Bio: Zach Langley is a Ph. D. candidate in American Studies at Penn State Harrisburg, focusing on Folk Life and American History. He is a emerging expert on Pennsylvania Dutch culture and Pennsylvania History. His pending dissertation is focused on the effects of the rise of industrialized culture and modern class structures during the Victorian Era on Pennsylvania Dutch identity. He is also the Director of Education for The Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation in Media, Pennsylvania.

“How Dolley Madison Helped Bring German Beer to America… Connecting historic beer technology with other facets of American food history.” by Trevor McElroy

Pennsylvania has the country’s oldest brewery and ice cream company, but have you ever wondered how people were able to enjoy ice cream or a cold lager before refrigerators? Or did you know cider, olive oil, and wine were produced using pretty similar methods throughout colonial America? This talk will discuss the connections between historic American beer, cider, and food technologies and how you can see the remains now.

Bio: Trevor McElroy is a Philly tour guide and “free lance historian”. He gives all types of tours in and around Philly, and has been a guide at Bartram’s Garden for a several years. He is also an Association of Phila. Tour Guides (APT) certified guide and board member.

“Water in America: What we can do to save our freshwater and what Great Lakes Brewing Co does to help.” by Mark Weinmann

Bio: Mark Weinman is the regional sales manager for Great Lakes Brewery. People appreciate him for his love of beer and soccer but resent him for graduating from St. Joes. He lives in Philly with his wife and daughter, and he knows a lot about water and isn’t afraid to admit it.

With accordion music in between speakers!
Don Bitterlich began playing the accordion at age seven and has hooked ever since. During his college years Don balanced his love of accordion and playing on Temple University’s soccer and football teams. He went on to play professionally for the Seattle Seahawks before returning to the Philadelphia region, performing accordion sets as often as he can.

Posted in Uncategorized |

Tags: accordionists, beer, beer brewing, German history, history, oktoberfest, refrigeration, technology, water |

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