Pi Day Preview
Eating contests, calculator counters, and plane rides with Einstein impersonators are all wrapped up in one big celebration that aims to become a tradition, dubbed “Geek Freak” Weekend. The four-day event starts Friday and culminates on March 14, the date of Albert Einstein’s birth -- designated as “Pi Day,” based on the mathematical number pi, whose digits mirror the date (3.14).
This weekend’s many events, bringing together local businesses and the Princeton community, are organized by Princeton Tour Company owner Mimi Omiecinski and Joy Chen, owner of JoyCards. Omiecinski explained that she got the idea last year after realizing the town wasn’t doing much to celebrate Einstein, who lived here for over 20 years.
“I went to the Princeton Public Library and asked if they had ever had a birthday celebration,” Omiecinski explained. “They said they no. [So] I contacted my friend Joy, who is a genius at throwing celebrations.” After around 1,700 people turned out for the first Pi Day celebration, Chen and Omiecinski decided to expand the event to an entire weekend, launching a brand new website and even an iPhone application.
Geek Freak events begin this Friday and center on all things pi (and pie) related. Business sponsors of the event, including infant clothing stores Incredible Me and Luxaby Baby are giving discounts of 31.4% on items in store. Restaurants like Blue Point Grill will offer 3-course meal deals at the fixed price of $31.40, while other vendors are having special sales for $3.14 all weekend.
Community-sponsored events and contests will draw families and geeky enthusiasts to the town for Pi Weekend. Popular events include a “No-Socks Sock Hop” at the YWCA Dance Studio, Einstein re-enactment tours by the Princeton Tour Company, and the Geek Freak Pub Crawl.
Other happenings also focus on the making, eating, and throwing of those round, baked goods. On Sunday, March 13, there will be a multi-age Pie-Eating Contest at McCaffrey’s in the Princeton Shopping Center. Those interested in participating are asked to register at pidayprinceton@gmail.com.
Pie Judging and Pie Throwing will occur later in the day, with proceeds going to fund John Witherspoon Middle School’s math and science programs, as well as the Princeton School Gardens Cooperative.
Princeton’s Public Library has also gotten in on the geeky festivities. Over the weekend, the library will be hosting science-related forums and demonstrations from the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. The library will also feature an Einstein Look-Alike contest and a Pi Recitation contest, in which young participants are challenged to recall as many digits of the infinite numerical figure as they can. The youngest Pi-recitation winner will be awarded a savings account with a starting balance of $314.159 from the Bank of Princeton.
The weekend offers endless opportunities to get involved: as contest participants, sponsors, contest judges, or as general celebrators.
Omiecinski is ecstatic about Geek Freak Weekend’s exponential popularity, hoping it will draw fans from not only the borough and township but also beyond. She has been a big promoter of all things Princeton ever since she moved here in 2006. “Princeton has been home to more Nobel Prize Winners than any two square miles on earth,” she said. However, she feels the fun-loving, light-heartedness of the event is “proof that Princeton is not as unapproachable as some would say.”
She believes that the spirit of the event captures Princeton’s unique community. “My favorite part is that only Princeton can really throw the biggest Pi Day Party on earth,” said Omiecinski. “Like most of the best info in Princeton, you can't make that up!”
For more information on all the events occurring during Geek Freak Weekend, visit their website at PiDayPrinceton.com.
About the Author
Vivienne Chen is a student at Princeton University majoring in English. She recently moved to Princeton from Pleasanton, California.
