Main Hallway/Registration

Badge Pickup

Ambassador Ballroom

Hospitality Opens 

Game Space Opens Play games in hospitality this year!

Registration

Conspiracy Theory Game Begins 

Mary Lee Kemper

Readings at 7:30 pm on Saturday in the Ambassador Ballroom. Players (up to 4 on a team), pick up your word list at the Registration Desk Friday through Saturday dinner. Write your best theory weaving in all five  words/concepts on your assigned list (required). Read your convincing story to the audience after dinner Saturday in the ballroom. Judging will determine the best Conspiracy Theory. Tin foil hats not provided.

Ambassador Ballroom

Hearts Tournament Qualifiers begin!

Look for the table signs identifying pick-up games for DDCH (Double Deck Cancellation Hearts). The winner of any game of at least six players puts their name on the Winners sheet posted near the Registration Desk. Final game for winners is Saturday at 10 PM. Even if you don’t win a game, you earn a participation point towards All Around Gamer!

Diplomat (right side)

Pairings: A Charcuterie Tasting Experience (21+)

Gwen Pace

New Member Reception Event! Join us to welcome new members and enjoy a guided tasting experience through a variety of red wines, cheeses, meats, and chocolates to experience how food and wine influence each other. Tips for tasting and pairing will be shared as well as background information on the wines and cheeses. Space is limited to 24 attendees.

Room 202

A Kid's Guide to Rocks and Minerals 

Elizabeth O'Brien

What are minerals, how do they form, and why are they important?

Ambassador Ballroom

Dinner

Buffet to include, garden fresh salad with choice of dressings, penne and spaghetti pasta, marinara and alfredo sauces, meatballs, grilled chicken strips, and a vegetable.  

Ambassador Ballroom

The Great Mensa Bake-off! 

Attention, bakers and dessert makers! Show us what you’ve got! Bring in your best homemade dessert to share. Along with your entry, please provide a list of ingredients -- both for allergens and the curious -- and the necessary utensil for slicing or serving your creation (we'll provide the plates and bowls). If you're interested in sharing your recipe, there will be people interested in having a copy. After enjoying dessert, your fellow Mensans will vote for their favorite; the winner will be awarded with glory and the joy of winning! 

Diplomat (left side)

Do Pigs Fly? The Story of Porkopolis

Dave Traut, Cincinnati Museum Center

Cincinnati was once known by the nickname of “Porkopolis,” the largest meat packing center in the world. Visitors to the city often had to walk down streets crowded with pigs being herded to city slaughter houses. Pigs from Cincinnati fed our country, and the meat packers’ methods also helped to revolutionize the country’s industries. From pig pens to the dinner plate, learn how pigs helped build Cincinnati. 

Diplomat (right side)

Retro Games

Retro Games will consist of Pick Up Sticks, Jacks & Balls, and Pin the Tail on the Piggy. Individual and overall winners will be crowned. More info. 

Diplomat (left side)

Combat Forensics: Aircraft Crash Investigations in a War Zone

Gary Chavez 

Gary Chavez was an Aerospace Engineer in the Air Force for 20 years, retiring as a Major in 2016. He deployed to Iraq in 2005 as a member of the Joint Combat Assessment Team (JCAT). This team investigated downed aircraft, using engineering and forensic analysis to determine if the incident was caused by adversary actions and, if so, what weapons and tactics were used. Gary’s presentation includes highlights of several crash investigations, the science behind combat forensics, and an overview of daily life in a war zone.

Ambassador Ballroom (left side)

Hell's Ms Meet & Greet

Immediately followed by

Euchre Tournament (9:10 pm)

Experienced players only please. Choose a card for seat assignment. Play 12 hands per round. Choose cards again for 2nd and 3rd rounds. No stick the dealer. Dealer may call “alone” if partner orders them up (without calling a loner).

Senator

Deadly Secrets & Monkey Business/ Forbidden Facts – Unwanted Truth 

Debbi Silverman

Did you know that SV40 (simian virus 40 — a monkey virus historically found in early polio vaccines AND later vaccines) was used in a failed bioweapon assassination attempt against Fidel Castro? At the recent Children’s Health Defense conference in Austin, TX, which Debbi attended live, Suzanne Humphreys, MD, a nephrologist, explored this issue and its correlation with chronic kidney disease, as well as how vaccine development has relied on animal tissues and synthetic chemical adjuvants and evolved over time. more

Room 202

Beer, Mead, and Wine Exchange (21+)

Dan Schneider

Bring an adult beverage (or 3) and be prepared to introduce your libation, and let people try it! Cups are provided. This is a great opportunity to taste a new beverage without the commitment of a 6 pack. You’re encouraged to bring something special, something connected to the RG theme, or something unique to your home area. 

Room 202

Hitster!

Hitster is a high-energy game that turns music into a fun timeline challenge -- and often a sing-along! Scan a card, play a song, and place it in the timeline based on the year it was released. Come test your music timeline skills and see who truly knows their hits. Up to 10 teams of 2 can play! Each team will need a smartphone or similar device to play.