CV Nerd Week Kicks Off Tonight in Cathedral City

Fans of sci-fi, fantasy, comics, gaming, and more have something to celebrate this week as CV Nerd Week runs March 23 through 29 across the Coachella Valley.

It starts tonight at the Mary Pickford Theatre in Cathedral City, where local artists and vendors are setting up a convention-style event from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Exhibitors include Comic Asylum, Starbase 505, Tavern Tales, the Palm Springs Gaming Lounge, and several local artists. The theatre is also offering an augmented reality experience called "Verse." Admission is $10, and cosplay is encouraged.

From there, the fun continues all week. For just $1, anyone can pick up a Nerd Week Passport at any participating location. That passport gets you special deals at ten local businesses, including The Dragon's Den in Palm Desert, The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs, Big Deck Energy, Comics & Anime, Rated Comics, and Retro Disruption Skateshop, among others.

The event is organized by the Coachella Valley Nerd Alliance, a collective of independent businesses built around games, comics, collectibles, and hobbies. The group says its goal is to get people to discover something new, whether that's a Warhammer fan picking up an indie comic or a reader connecting with a fellow gamer. They say everyone is welcome.