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GEEK PROM HISTORY
Geeky Before Geeky was Geeky


The first Geek Prom was held in 2002 at the NorShor Theatre in Duluth, Minn. The theme was "We are through being cool." The Devo reference was not lost on everyone, but some wondered if any of the people who attended the prom had ever been cool in the first place.

The somewhat formal dance for adult misfits featured music by Super D & the Double Chucks and Vinnie and the Stardüsters. The first King and Queen Geek, Ryan Amundson and Gina Giacomini, were crowned and audience members witnessed the first-ever "Geek Streak," when seven nude nerds emerged from out of nowhere, sprinted through the main theater, and disappeared into the night.

The 2003 Geek Prom was dubbed "Geek Prom II: The Geekquel." Another crowd of the socially unskilled converged on the NorShor to hear the futuristic sounds of the Hospital People and Manplanet, and witness the crowning of the new King and Queen Geeks, Ben Fisher-Merritt and AnnMarie O'Malley.

The NorShor Theatre changed ownership and was temporarily closed in early 2004, so Geek Prom promoters moved their event to the geekiest place they could think of, Duluth's Great Lakes Aquarium.

The third annual prom was "Cubed For Your Pleasure," and reached heights of dorkiness never before thought attainable. For the first time, trophies were handed out to the champion spaz dancers, and Mr. Lindquist hosted a segment of fun and games that included several rounds of playing "Will it Float?" Susan Ludwig and Trailer Park Queen, along with DJ Konnor, provided music, and Chris "Lithis" Nelson and Zoey Cohen were crowned 2004 King and Queen Geek.

In 2005, "the geek shall inherit the earth" was the slogan as Geek Prom moved to the Duluth Technology Village, where the Pizza Luce restaurant hosted the first Gonzo Gong Show, a talent competition for bird impersonators, jugglers and lip-synching buffoons. John Cavanaugh and Crystal Pelkey were crowned 2005 King and Queen Geek, and DJ Konnor and the Hoot Owls provided the musical spaztrack.

The Science Museum of Minnesota was the venue as Geek Prom moved to St. Paul in 2006. "Get Your Geek On" was the slogan and Band Geeks provided music. Eric Houston and Shari Hartshorn were crowned king and queen. Attendees played video games on the big screen and had the opportunity to dissect a cow's eye.

Geek Prom returned to the Science Museum in 2007 with the slogan "We're Bringing Geeky Back." Neal Spinler and Katy Haugland were crowned king and queen at the largest-attended Geek Prom ever. E.L.nO., the Twin Cities' best Electric Light Orchestra tribute band, provided the "Strange Magic" onstage, and a group of streakers were unpleasantly surprised by a St. Paul Police officer.

It was back home to Duluth for the 2008 Geek Prom, where the Great Lakes Aquarium agained played host. Lawrence Lee and Trish Stinnett became the new bearers of the crowns and sashes, and music by Dance Band kept everyone shaking their baby makers.

The 2009 prom featured three musical acts: Tim Kaiser, Paul Broman and Best Friends Forever. It was the first year with no Geek Streak, which brought sorrow to some and relief to others. James Ellingson and Rachael Gilman became the new royalty.

Geek Prom took a year off in 2010, switching to an ever-other-year structure due to a reduced threat level from the hideous fleckuloids of the Mineculon.

In 2011, Alec Habig and Megan Shuey were crowned king and queen, the first and only Air Supply Air Jam ever was held, the first Geek Prom marriage proposal occured during a trivia contest, and the Four-eyed Snakes tore up Duluth's Teatro Zuccone theater.

Geek Prom 2013 was the very first event held at the Underground theater in Duluth's Historic Union Depot. There was a Geek Dating Game, a Karaoke Gong Show hosted by Jody Kujawa, and DJ Mary Hall provided the music. Dr. Jason Ford, a philosophy professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth, was crowned King Geek. His queen was Mandy Muellner, an operation room assistant and baker from Superior, Wis.

By 2014, the threat level from the hideous Fleckuloids of the Mineculon had been sufficiently reduced by the geek energy generated by ten proms, and no plans were in place to produce a future event.