Power down your iPads and put away your ultra-thin laptops for a few hours and head on out to Vintage Computer Festival Southeast this weekend to see the evolution of computing and computers.
The Atlanta Historical Computing Society and the Computer Museum of America are pleased to announce the third annual Vintage Computer Festival Southeast.
The festival will have over 35,000 sq. ft. of displays, exhibits and interactive entertainment hosted in what was previously a Comp-USA Super Store. Exhibitors will be attending from all over the region and country. Attendees can operate many of the computers and devices on display, but a few rare computer exhibits will not be accessible for public interactivity. However, exhibitors are often available for live demonstrations of all working devices.
At this year’s exhibit, historical milestones will be celebrated including those for the PDP-8 which turns 50 years old this year, the Altair 8800 which turns 40 this year and the Amiga 1000 which turns 30. Some examples of these machines will be on display.
While at the VCFSE, introduce family and friends to electronics with fun and games, some that you can assemble. Try a VCFSE do-it-yourself kit, the perfect introduction to electronics. Assistance in assembling is supplied onsite (as needed), and the activity is always popular with kids of all ages! A vintage game station will be available for children and adults to play classic games on classic computer and game console systems. And, there’s more. Even a classic video game wall!
In addition to the VCFSE, explore the concurrent Computer Museum of America (CMOA) Apple Pop-Up exhibit, a large, one-of-a-kind display of extremely rare Apple computers amid a dynamic presentation of how a small start-up company, founded in a garage by two young friends, became the leading consumer electronics and personal computer company in the world. See a rare and exclusive collection of Apple personal computers and consumer electronic products, from the original Apple 1 era to the present.
Also see the CMOA companion exhibit, ”LINK: Personal Computing from Switches to Pockets,” which shows you the “links” from the past to the present via displays of iconic computer brands including original computers like the IBM PC, as well as some very rare and unique machines like the KenBak-1. “Link” is a diverse, fun and inspiring exhibit that allows visitors to explore and dive deeper into the art and technology of personal computing.
Hours:
Saturday, May 2: 10am – 7pm
Sunday, May 3: 10am – 5pm
Admission:
$10 per person for one day, or $15 per person for both days.
Children ages 17 and younger are admitted free when accompanied by a parent or guardian.
College Students: show your student ID at the front door to get in for free.
More information at: www.vintage.org/2015/southeast.