Geek Out at the Kent Nerd Party, brought to you by The Game Shelf!Indoor Vendor Terms & Conditions – Nerd Party 2026
Get ready for the Kent Nerd Party, where downtown Kent transforms into the ultimate haven for nerds! Terms and conditions HERE
The Nerd Party is a street-wide event with a cosplay contest, miniature painting contest, Lego museum, LARP games, outdoor vendors, and more. Scroll down to see our full list of programming.
All nerds are welcome—whether you love science fiction, fantasy, horror, anime, gaming, or one of the other innumerable geeky pursuits!
Volunteering
Volunteers make the Kent Nerd Party possible. Meet awesome people and experience the event from a new angle. Volunteer! Sign up here.
Location
While vendors will be located on 1st Ave S and W Gowe St, the Kent Nerd Party is happening all over downtown Kent. Maps and info coming soon!
Discounted Hotel Rates – info coming soon
Cosplay Contest
Located in 403 W Meeker St
Grab your cape, polish your armor, and enter the Kent Nerd Party’s cosplay contest! Whether you’re ready to strut your stuff or get inspired by this year’s winners, this is one event you won’t want to miss.
Categories: Info coming soon
Sign-up and judging 4PM-5PM (capped at 30 participants), participant showcase and winners announced 5:30PM. Must participate in showcase & be present to win.
Beer & Cider Garden
Located outside 202 W Gowe St from 2PM to 7PM
Ages 21 and up only! Have your ID ready.
Card & tap-to-pay only–no cash accepted.
Enjoy a refreshing beer or cider alongside food from the nearby food vendors! Beer provided by our sponsor Seapine Brewing Company and cider by our sponsor 2 Towns Ciderhouse.
Lego Museum by SeaLUG 
Hosted by BigWu Fitness from 2PM to 7PM
SeaLUG, a group of Seattle-based Lego brick enthusiasts, presents the Lego Museum! Their elaborate Lego creations, which often take hundreds of hours to create, will be on display for all to see.
LARP Combat Demos by Kingdom Boffer Association 
Located in Rosebed Park from 2PM to 7PM
Learn LARP (live-action role play) combat techniques with foam weapons!
The Kingdom Boffer Association is entering their 30th season of providing boffer combat action, focusing on team-based faction battles, scenario-based games, and personal combat technique development. Similar in approach to other simulated combat activities like paintball and airsoft, they use padded melee and ranged weapons to recreate medieval combat within a fantasy context.
Live Music by Cool Nerd Mark
Located in 1st Ave Plaza from 2PM to 7PM
Cool Nerd Mark is a singer-songwriter guitarist inspired by comic book heroes, science fiction, and old horror films.
Cosplay Repair
Presented by Running Stitch Fabrics from 2PM to 7PM
Cosplay malfunction? Not to worry! The team at Running Stitch Fabrics is here to save the day. Head into the store and ask for directions to the Cosplay Repair station–they’ll be happy to help!
Prop Policy
You may not bring any real, functional weapons to the Kent Nerd Party, including (but not limited to) firearms, bb or pellet guns, or blades (swords, axes, daggers, etc). Prop weapons are permitted if they are not sharp or otherwise capable of causing harm. Toy guns are permitted if they have an orange tip on the barrel and do not look like real weapons.
Any prop weapons must be brought to the info booth, where they’ll be checked for adherence to policy and peacebonded (marked with tape to show they are approved props).
If props violate this policy, you will be asked to return them to your vehicle or home.
By attending the Kent Nerd Party, you agree to these terms.
Participating Businesses
The Game Shelf: Our presenting sponsor and facilitator of the Miniature Painting Contest and Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Draft.
BigWu Fitness: A workout facility in the heart of historic downtown Kent, BigWu is hosting our Lego Museum.
Grey Sunz Tattoo: This tattoo shop will be offering themed flash tattoos.
NWBG Activity Center: This event space is hosting our authors and some special guests.
Page Turner Books: Nerd culture store offering sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, movies, video games, comics, manga, anime, and more.
Pied Piper Pub: This lively pub with shuffleboard, darts, and pool will be running a special menu of themed drinks.
Retro Emporium: Vintage to modern pop culture shop specializing in vintage 80s/90s collectibles and retro-themed goods.
Running Stitch Fabrics: This destination for sewing and quilting supplies is providing our Cosplay Repair station.
Sure Lock Escapes: Escape rooms that can’t be beat! Sure Lock Escapes is hosting the Level Up! Vocal Ensemble performance.
Thai Chili Restaurant: Enjoy delicious Thai food at Thai Chili!
Sponsors & Partners
