Windsor Hackforge

GLOBAL GAME JAM Closing
2026-02-01 14:00 - 19:00 (America/Toronto) | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

Wrap up an unforgettable week of game making by joining us for the 2026 Hackforge Global Game Jam Closing Party at Hackforge HQ or online via Discord! This is your chance to bring everything together and celebrate what you’ve built.

The afternoon will be focused on getting your game across the finish line. This is the perfect time to squash last-minute bugs, polish gameplay, finalize builds, and make sure your submission is ready to go. Fellow jammers and mentors will be around to offer feedback, help troubleshoot issues, or simply provide moral support as the clock winds down.

Once submissions are in, it’s time to relax and enjoy the results of an intense and inspiring week. At 5:00 pm, we’ll kick off a show and tell session where teams can present their games, share what worked (and what didn’t), and talk about the ideas and challenges behind their creations.

Whether you join us in person or online, everyone is welcome to watch, play, and cheer on the teams. Come celebrate the hard work, creativity, and community spirit that make Global Game Jam such a special experience!

📆 Feb 1🕦 2 – 7(ish) PM📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210) & Online via Discord

Register for Global Game Jam at globalgamejam.org

Global Game Jam Meetup-Day 1
2026-01-30 17:00 - 19:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

Hybrid work hours during Global Game Jam 2026 are open, flexible sessions set aside for participants to spend time working on their games together in a shared space, or online via Discord. These hours are all about giving you the room, time, and community to collaborate, experiment, and make progress on your project.

During work hours, you’re encouraged to:

Work actively on your game, either solo or with your team

Collaborate, brainstorm, test ideas, and share feedback with other jammers

Use the space as a focused, supportive co-working environment

Staff will be on-site to open the space and help with basic needs, but these sessions are intentionally unstructured. There won’t be scheduled activities, presentations, or facilitated programming during work hours and staff will not be casually available, as they will be busy completing work. This time is yours to use in whatever way best supports your creative process.

If you’re interested in talks, workshops, or guided events, please see our other events, and consider joining our Discord or subscribing to our newsletter at hackf.org/join-our-newsletter. In-person work hours are simply a chance to come together, settle in, and build something great.

📆 Thurs., Jan 29🕦5-7 PM📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave. Unit 210) & Online via Discord

Register for Global Game Jam at globalgamejam.org

Global Game Jam Meetup-Day 2
2026-01-30 16:00 - 19:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

Hybrid work hours during Global Game Jam 2026 are open, flexible sessions set aside for participants to spend time working on their games together in a shared space, or online via Discord. These hours are all about giving you the room, time, and community to collaborate, experiment, and make progress on your project.

During work hours, you’re encouraged to:

Work actively on your game, either solo or with your team

Collaborate, brainstorm, test ideas, and share feedback with other jammers

Use the space as a focused, supportive co-working environment

Staff will be on-site to open the space and help with basic needs, but these sessions are intentionally unstructured. There won’t be scheduled activities, presentations, or facilitated programming during work hours and staff will not be casually available, as they will be busy completing work. This time is yours to use in whatever way best supports your creative process.

If you’re interested in talks, workshops, or guided events, please see our other events, and consider joining our Discord or subscribing to our newsletter at hackf.org/join-our-newsletter. In-person work hours are simply a chance to come together, settle in, and build something great.

📆 Friday, Jan. 30🕦4-7 PM📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave. Unit 210) & Online via Discord

Register for Global Game Jam at globalgamejam.org

GLOBAL GAME JAM KICKOFF
2026-01-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

Kick off Global Game Jam with us at Hackforge HQ or online via Discord and get ready for an exciting week of creativity, collaboration, and game development! This opening event sets the tone for the jam and gives you everything you need to dive in with confidence, whether you’re a first-time jammer or a seasoned pro.

We’ll get the engines running by watching the official Global Game Jam keynote together. During this keynote, the theme will be revealed! There will be time afterwards to discuss the theme and iron out any nerves. Got questions? Bring them with you! This isn’t our first rodeo and there will likely be many Game Jam vets present to help us answer any questions that are burning in your brain, making sure everyone’s confident moving forward. Next, we’ll focus on team formation. Participants can pitch ideas, share skills, and connect with others, and organizers will be on hand to help set teams and make sure no one is left out. Whether you come with a plan or are looking for collaborators, this is where teams come together.

Before kicking off development, we’ll wrap up with an important AI policy announcement, outlining what is and isn’t permitted during the jam. Once that’s covered, it’s time to get in the jam and start creating.

Hackforge welcomes folks from anywhere who are interested in creating any kind of game. Design and develop as part of a team or a solo jammer – whatever you prefer! All ages are welcome to participate, but anyone under 17 must be on a team with a parent or guardian.Throughout the week of the Jam, there will be opportunities for hybrid and virtual open work hours with your team. We’ll cap off the week with a Closing Party to put on final touches, submit your game, then show it off!

Open to all, not just participants!

📆 Jan 26, 2026🕦6PM-8PM📍Online via Discord🎟️Register for Global Game Jam at globalgamejam.org

Come for the knowledge, stay for the community, and get ready to make something incredible! 🎨👾

Basics of the Zettabyte File System (ZFS)
2026-01-22 19:00 - 21:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

At this month’s LUG event, we’ll be exploring the basics of the Zettabyte File System (ZFS) as well as discuss whether it would be a good choice for the root file system. All skill levels are welcome, but some basic knowledge of Linux will make the material easier to understand.

What to Expect:

Go over the basic concepts of ZFS

Explore core features of ZFS like: compression, redundancy, and encryption

Take a look at the pitfalls & benefits of using ZFS as a root file system

Learn about “out-of-tree” modules and DKMS

Discover why you’d want to use the ZFSBootMenu bootloader

Complete a demo Arch Linux install

📆 Jan 22🕦 7-9 PM📍 Hybrid at Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online via Zoom🎟️RSVP for In-Person attendance below💻Register for virtual attendance via Zoom

Exploring Map Data in Game Development
2026-01-20 18:30 - 20:30 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210)💻👥In Person Only 💲 Free

In preparation for the 2026 Global Game Jam, OpenStreetMap Windsor-Essex invites you to an interactive workshop exploring how open geodata can be used in videogames.

While it might seem obvious to use the map data for…maps…That isn’t the only option! OSM can be utilized in text-based games, to determine POIs in mobile AR games, to generate geocentric quiz games, and more!

This session will combine:

✨Inspiration: See games that creatively use OSM data and brainstorm other ways to integrate geodata into your own projects.

🧪Hands-on Experimentation: Try out OSM-based game development using Godot, Unity, Blender, or the tools you know best. Tutorials and resource links will be provided, but attendees are welcome to test out their own methods and ideas.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑Collaboration: Work with other participants to tackle challenges, share ideas, and learn from each other.

You’ll leave this workshop with a deeper understanding of how open geodata can enhance your game design and development process—and maybe even meet potential teammates for the Global Game Jam!

Tips for getting the most from this workshop:

Explore OSM Basics: Familiarize yourself with what OpenStreetMap is and its data structure. Recordings from past events on our YouTube channel can be a great starting point.

Temper Your Expectations: This workshop builds on existing knowledge of game, software, or web development – it’s hands-on and experimental, not a step-by-step tutorial. Beginners are welcome, but come ready to explore and experiment!

Prepare Your Tech: Bring your laptop with your preferred tools and platforms pre-installed so you can jump straight into experimentation.

📆 Tuesday, January 20, 2026🕦 6:30 – 8:30 PM📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210)🎟️RSVP for In-Person attendance below

Shader Playground: Create Stunning Visuals in Your Browser
2026-01-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210)💻👥In Person Only 💲 Free

Using GPUs? For graphics??? In this economy? Shader Playground is a hands-on event where you’ll dive into the world of GPU programming right from your browser. Using Shadertoy, you can experiment with live graphics code, tweak samples, and see your changes instantly. It’s a fun way to explore how graphics run on GPUs instead of CPUs, letting you create vibrant visual effects and animations with surprisingly little setup.

This event is perfect for anyone curious about graphics programming or creative coding. You’ll get to play with existing shaders, build your own visual experiments, and learn the tricks behind dynamic, real-time graphics. No experience is required, just an interest in making things look amazing on screen and a willingness to tinker.

What you’ll take away:– Hands-on experience writing GPU-based pixel shaders in GLSL and creating visual effects– A fun way to see and learn how graphics programming takes advantage of parallel execution– Inspiration and skills to experiment with your own creative coding projects and give you more tools for your Global Game Jam experience

📆 Jan 16, 2026🕦 6-8 PM📍In-Person at Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210)🎟️RSVP for In-Person attendance below

From BASIC to Modern: Porting Classic Games to Modern Systems
2026-01-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

Ever wondered what it was like to make games in the early days of personal computing, when you typed code straight from a book and hit “run”? Retro Code Revival is a hands-on event inspired by the classic BASIC Computer Games era, and the 1973 book 101 BASIC Computer Games by David H. Ahl, where simple ideas, clever logic, and creativity mattered more than graphics or hardware power.

In this event, we’ll take old school, text-based, and early computer games and bring them into the present. Participants will explore how these games worked, and how they can be ported to modern systems. Whether you recreate the game faithfully or give it a modern twist, the goal is to learn, experiment, and have fun while preserving the spirit of early game design.

This is a collaborative, beginner-friendly space for programmers, gamers, and curious tinkerers alike. You don’t need to be an expert, just interested in how old ideas can live again on new systems.

What You’ll Take Away:🎮 How to make a modern version of a classic game💡 A better understanding of game logic, constraints, and design fundamentals🤝 New skills and inspiration going into Global Game Jam 2026

📆 Jan. 13, 2026🕦 6-8 PM📍Hybrid (Hackforge HQ @ 300 Ouellete Ave, Suite 210) and Online via Zoom🎟️RSVP for In-Person attendance below💻Register for virtual attendance via Zoom

LUG January Social
2026-01-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍Discord💻Virtual Only💲 Free

Come join us as we nerd out about Linux at this month’s Hackforge Linux User Group Virtual Social!

What to Expect:

Help with Problems: Bring your Linux-related queries and let our community experts assist you in finding solutions.

Current Events Discussion: Stay updated and engage in discussions about the latest happenings in the Linux world.

This virtual social event provides an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow Linux enthusiasts, learn, and have fun!

Hope to see you all there!

📆 Date: January 8, 2026🕦Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (EST)📍 Virtual Event on Discord

TTRPG Day @ Hackforge (INVITE ONLY)
2025-12-20 00:00 - 23:59 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210)💻👥 In Person Only (Invite-Only)💲 Free

Complete the 2025 Community Survey and enter to win a seat at Hackforge’s Invite-Only TTRPG table!There’s an empty spotIn our Adventure PartyYou up to the task?

Complete the surveyAnd win the draw to join usLuck be on your side

Word on the street is that Doug is dicing up something delicious!

👉Survey here📆 Dec. 20, 2025📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210)

LUG December Social
2025-12-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍Discord💻Virtual Only💲 Free

Come join us as we nerd out about Linux at this month’s Hackforge Linux User Group Virtual Social!

What to Expect:

Help with Problems: Bring your Linux-related queries and let our community experts assist you in finding solutions.

Current Events Discussion: Stay updated and engage in discussions about the latest happenings in the Linux world.

This virtual social event provides an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow Linux enthusiasts, learn, and have fun!

Hope to see you all there!

📆 Date: December 18, 2025🕦Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (EST)📍 Virtual Event on Discord

DOSember
2025-12-12 18:00 - 21:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210)💻👥 In Person Only💲 Free

Step back into the world of classic computing with DOSember!

Celebrate the charm of DOS-era gaming and coding through hands-on activities, retro challenges, and pure nostalgia. We’re bringing back the look, feel, and spirit of early PC culture, right down to the text-based screens and pixel-perfect games that defined a generation.

Whether you’re a veteran of the command line or brand-new to the world of DOS, this throwback event has something for everyone. Explore the tools and tricks that powered early computing, rediscover the games that shaped PC history, and experience the creative limitations that sparked so much innovation. DOSember is all about having fun, learning something new, and reconnecting with where modern tech began.

Please install DOS Box on the machine you intend to bring so you’re ready to go!

What’s in store:• Retro playtime• Hands-on coding• Meet fellow enthusiasts

📆Dec. 12, 2025🕦6-9 PM📍In-Person at Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Suite 210)🎟️RSVP below

Building Smarter Chatbots
2025-11-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

Modern AI is powerful but it doesn’t know your business.

In this live demo, Raneem Ghalion, AI Business Strategy Consultant (Adopli AI) will demonstrate how Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) connects a language model to your own data for accurate, context-aware answers.

You’ll see a working prototype built live, understand the workflow (LLM + vector database + pipeline), and leave with a clear checklist to ship your first data-aware chatbot.

Key takeaways:

How retrieval + generation work together

Minimum viable RAG stack (LangChain, Pinecone, Bedrock, n8n)

Steps to connect your own docs and deploy

Format: 20-min intro → 45-min live RAG build (LLM + vector DB + data pipeline) → 20-min Q&A → 15-min networking

📆 Fri., Nov. 28, 2025🕦 6-8 PM📍Hackforge HQ & Online via Zoom🎟️RSVP for In-Person attendance below💻Register for virtual attendance via Zoom

LUG November Social
2025-11-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍Discord💻Virtual Only💲 Free

Come join us as we nerd out about Linux at this month’s Hackforge Linux User Group Virtual Social!

What to Expect:

Help with Problems: Bring your Linux-related queries and let our community experts assist you in finding solutions.

Current Events Discussion: Stay updated and engage in discussions about the latest happenings in the Linux world.

This virtual social event provides an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow Linux enthusiasts, learn, and have fun!

Hope to see you all there!

📆 Date: November 27, 2025🕦Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (EST)📍 Virtual Event on Discord

Celebrate GIS day!
2025-11-19 18:00 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

This event is an official esri GIS Day event! Curious about the spatial side of data science? Announcing the launch of Windsor-Essex GIS (weGIS), a brand-new Hackforge group dedicated to the dynamic and ever-evolving world of geographic information systems! And there’s no better time to kick this thing off than GIS Day (November 19th), a global celebration of GIS as a technology and industry.

Join Theo Walschots on this special day as he goes over a primer on GIS, the goal of Hackforge weGIS, as well as what kind of content and events you can expect in the future. This group is for all experience levels and will aim to be as accessible as possible by leveraging free, open-source software. Please don’t hesitate to come out!

After the debrief there will be time for cake and discussion as we celebrate yet another thriving and successful year in GIS! 🎂🌎Learn more about GIS and GIS Day at www.gisday.com🎂Did we mention there will be cake?

📆 Nov 19🕦 6-8PM📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210) & Online via Zoom🎟️RSVP for In-Person attendance below💻Register for virtual attendance via Zoom

What I Learned Building My Own AI Agent: An Evening with Doug Sartori
2025-11-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

Ever wondered what it takes to build your own AI agent from scratch? Join Doug Sartori (Parallel 42 Systems) for a behind-the-scenes look at what he’s learned on his journey creating a fully functional AI assistant using Python.

Key Takeaways:

🔌Connecting your AI to tools☁️Cloud vs. local models for this use case🔒Security and privacy considerations

Whether you’re an AI enthusiast, a Python tinkerer, or just curious about the future of personal agents, this talk will give you the insights (and cautionary tales) you need to start your own build.

📆 Nov. 14🕦 6-8PM📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Suite 210) & Online via Zoom🎟️RSVP for In-Person attendance below💻Register for virtual attendance via Zoom

OpenStreetMap: Note Resolution
2025-11-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210)💻👥 In Person Only💲 Free

When someone is unable to enter data directly into OpenStreetMap, they have the option to offer the information as a “Note.” Notes might be business information, details about road surface quality, or pointing out an error in the data. These geo-tagged text strings offer an account-free, low-barrier-of-entry method for people to contribute to OSM.

Notes make their way into OSM through a few methods. Certain projects – like onosm.org – focus entirely on sharing info to OSM as notes. OSM.org allows users to enter notes directly through the web-browser – no need to even open iD! Numerous mobile apps also offer notes as a form of data entry, as some data is just too finnicky to enter via mobile.

However they all got there, Windsor and Essex County currently feature somewhere around 40 open notes. So this month we’re going to work on cleaning those up! Some of these notes are relatively new, while others have been sitting around for a while. We’ll gather in-person at Windsor Hackforge from 6 – 8 PM on Tuesday, November 11th to take care of as many as we can. Whether you’re new to OSM or have been around for a minute, we’d love to have your help and input!

📆 Tuesday, November 11🕦 6 – 8 PM📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210)🎟️RSVP below

End of Year Mixer
2025-11-07 20:00 - 22:00 | ekō, 261 Pelissier St, Windsor, Ontario, N9A 4K2, Canada
📍 ekō (261 Pelissier St, Windsor, ON)👥 In Person Only💲 Free

Hackforge is closing out the year in style with snacks, stories, and a little bit of geeky fun! Join us for our End-of-Year Mixer as we celebrate all things open source, local tech, and community collaboration.

We’ll be hanging out at ekō, downtown Windsor’s hi-fi high dive, so come on out ready for some fun and friends, both new and old. Expect a laid-back evening filled with good vibes. Whether you joined us for Linux installs, A.I. talks, mapmaking adventures, or glowing art nights, we’re raising a glass to everyone who made this community shine.

We’ll be raffling off some awesome “It Was DNS” 3D-printed signs at 9 PM! Everyone in attendance will get a ticket, totally free! Each ticket includes your name and email, so if you need to leave early, you’ll still be in the running.

This is a 19+ Event.Snacks provided free.Guests are welcome to purchase their own drinks at the bar.

📆 Nov. 7🕦 8PM📍 ekō (261 Pelissier St, Windsor, ON)🎟️ Please RSVP below (drop-in style in effect, but we’re nerds and like to have numbers)💲FREE!

AWS - Modern CDN Wizardry: Mastering the Magic
2025-11-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

🚀 Ready to master the magic of modern content delivery?

Make everything your users touch online from photos to full web apps, APIs, and interactive experiences better, faster, more secure.

Join us on Tuesday, Nov 4 at 6:30 PM at Hackforge HQ & on Zoom for the next Windsor AWS User Group Meetup:

🎩 Modern CDN Wizardry: Mastering the Magic

Get ready to uncover the secrets behind lightning-fast, globally optimized experiences that feel like pure magic.

⭐Deliver massive global static sites at ultra-low cost⚡Accelerate dynamic APIs across continents🧙Secure entire workloads before traffic hits your backend🧙 Add intelligence, personalization, and edge-powered compute that makes apps feel instantly responsive

Whether you build for scale, speed, or security, this session will show you how to turn the edge into your competitive advantage.

🗓️ Date: Tuesday, Nov 4⏱️ Time: 6:30 -8 PM📍 Location: Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Suite 210) & Online via Zoom🎟️RSVP for In-Person attendance below💻Register for virtual attendance via ZoomSeats fill fast — RSVP today and bring a friend who loves tech!

Come learn, connect, and level up your AWS cloud skills with Windsor’s growing cloud community.

🎁Plus, you will win some exclusive AWS swag just for joining us!

LUG October Social
2025-10-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍Discord💻Virtual Only💲 Free

Come join us as we nerd out about Linux at this month’s Hackforge Linux User Group Virtual Social!

What to Expect:

Help with Problems: Bring your Linux-related queries and let our community experts assist you in finding solutions.

Current Events Discussion: Stay updated and engage in discussions about the latest happenings in the Linux world.

This virtual social event provides an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow Linux enthusiasts, learn, and have fun!

Hope to see you all there!

📆 Date: October 30, 2025🕦Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (EST)📍 Virtual Event on Discord

OSM State of the Map Recap
2025-10-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

State of the Map, often shortened to SotM, is the annual, international OpenStreetMap conference. The 2025 version takes place October 3 – 5 in Manila, Philippines. Hackforge will have on-site representation, and at the end of the month we’ll host a social/information session to go over the conference content.

This hybrid event will be happening on Tuesday, October 28th from 6 – 8 PM. Virtual and in-person attendance options are available!

This year SotM is being offered in a hybrid format, so consider tuning in remotely! There are a ton of topics being covered, and the more people we have checking it out, the more fruitful the conversation will be.

📆 Tuesday, October 28th🕦 6 – 8 PM📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, unit 210), and online via Zoom.🎟️RSVP for In-Person attendance below💻Register for virtual attendance via Zoom

Neighbourhood Quest
2025-10-24 18:00 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

Forget the Oregon Trail, in this workshop, Doug Sartori (Parallel 42; Mean, Median, and Moose) will show you how to turn Census and OpenStreetMap data into a text-based adventure game set in your own neighbourhood!

With QGIS and open data as your toolkit, you’ll learn how to mash up maps, stats, and storytelling into a ridiculous, one-of-a-kind game that’s uniquely yours.

No experience required, just bring your curiosity (and maybe a wizard hat). Follow along, and by the end, you’ll walk away with a playable game and the skills to keep exploring the wild world of data-driven adventures.

📆 October 24🕦6-8 PM📍Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave., Unit 210) & Online via Zoom🎟️RSVP for In-Person attendance below💻Register for virtual attendance via Zoom

Linux Install Party
2025-10-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210)👥 In Person Only💲 Free

On October the 14th, Windows 10 will reach its end-of-life. If you have a computer that cannot upgrade to Windows 11, this is the event for you! Breathe life into your old hardware once again with Linux! Members will be available to help guide you through installing Linux and answer any questions.

Come on out even if you’re already familiar with Linux. This is a great opportunity to try a new distribution or just hang around and chat with other Linux enthusiasts.

📆 Tuesday, October 14th🕦 7-9 PM📍 In-Person @ Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette., Unit 210)🎟️ Please RSVP below

LUG September Social
2025-09-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍Discord💻Virtual Only💲 Free

Come join us as we nerd out about Linux at this month’s Hackforge Linux User Group Virtual Social!

What to Expect:

Help with Problems: Bring your Linux-related queries and let our community experts assist you in finding solutions.

Current Events Discussion: Stay updated and engage in discussions about the latest happenings in the Linux world.

This virtual social event provides an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow Linux enthusiasts, learn, and have fun!

Hope to see you all there!

📆 Date: Wednesday, September, 2025🕦Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (EST)📍 Virtual Event on Discord

Light up Pendant workshop @ Night Light Festival - Day 3
2025-09-20 15:00 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍Art Windsor-Essex (401 Riverside Dr. W, Windsor)👥 In Person Only💲 Free

Join us for a fun and family-friendly day at the AWE Night Light Festival’s Light Up Pendant Workshop! The day begins with a low-stimulation hour, designed to provide a welcoming experience for guests who find loud or busy environments overwhelming.

Throughout the day, enjoy family-friendly activities, including a special performance by the WSO Youth Orchestra, engaging kid-focused tours, and a variety of delicious options from outdoor food vendors.

✨ Admission is free, making this the perfect outing for families and community members of all ages!

If you can’t make it on this night, catch the workshop on Sept. 18 or Sept. 19!

📅 Saturday, September 20, 2025🕔 3-8PM📍 Art Windsor-Essex (401 Riverside Dr W, Windsor)💲 Free

Software Freedom Day Drop-In
2025-09-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210)👥 In Person Only💲 Free

🍁💻 Celebrate Software Freedom Day with Hackforge! 💻🍁

Already soaking in the vibes at the Downtown Windsor Farmers’ Market? Just a block away, the spirit of community continues!

👉 Drop in at Hackforge HQ anytime between 10AM–Noon for a hands-on intro to free software. More than just “computer programs you don’t have to pay for,” we’re focusing on software that anyone can use, share, and improve – all protected by licenses that guarantee these freedoms.

We’ll walk newcomers through what free software is, why it matters, and how it affects everyday life. Live demos will showcase practical alternatives to common proprietary tools, and you’ll take home a pamphlet highlighting free options that keep your digital life in your own hands.

Stop by to connect with others, learn something new, and join conversations about why software freedom matters here in Windsor and beyond.

📅 Friday, September 20⏰ 10AM–Noon (drop-in style)📍 Hackforge HQ (in-person only)

✨ Come curious. Leave empowered.

Light up Pendant workshop @ Night Light Festival - Day 2
2025-09-19 17:00 - 22:30 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍Art Windsor-Essex (401 Riverside Dr. W, Windsor)👥 In Person Only💲 Tickets

🌙 Shine brighter than the dance floor! 🌙

Bring the glow to Night Light’s Friday party! Join Hackforge in creating your own light-up pendant before hitting the installations and music. With easy-to-use materials, you’ll craft a glowing accessory that will keep you lit all night long.

Perfect for beginners, families, or anyone looking to bring a little sparkle to the festival.

If you can’t make it this night, catch the workshop on Sept. 18 or Sept. 20!

📅 Friday, September 19, 2025🕔 5 -10:30PM📍 Art Windsor-Essex (401 Riverside Dr W, Windsor)🔗 Get Tickets

Light up Pendant workshop @ Night Light Festival - Day 1
2025-09-18 16:00 - 21:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍Art Windsor-Essex (401 Riverside Dr. W, Windsor)👥 In Person Only💲 Tickets

✨ Craft your own glow at Night Light’s opening night! ✨

Kick off Night Light with Hackforge’s hands-on workshop where you’ll design and build a glowing necklace pendant. Using simple electronics and crafting supplies, you’ll create a one-of-a-kind wearable artwork that lights up the night. We’ll be located inside the festival, so be sure to get your tickets!

Perfect for beginners, families, or anyone looking to bring a little sparkle to the festival.

If you can’t make it on opening night, catch the workshop on Sept. 19 or Sept. 20!

📅 Thursday, September 18, 2025🕔 4-9 PM📍 Art Windsor-Essex (401 Riverside Dr. W, Windsor)🔗 Get Tickets

Adventures in Vibe Coding
2025-09-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online💻👥 Hybrid💲 Free

Can you really give ChatGPT the wheel and let it write code for you?

Join Doug Sartori for an exploration of 🌈”Vibe Coding”🌈 – the practice of using natural-language LLM prompts to generate software. Step into a world where your words have the power to write software. In this session, we’ll demystify the art of using natural-language prompts to generate code. Imagine just telling the AI what you want, and watch the code appear like magic. 🧙‍♂️

This event is perfect for developers of all levels, tech enthusiasts, and anyone curious about using ChatGPT to get into coding.

You’ll learn about:✔️ The tools✔️ Techniques✔️ Where it works and where it doesn’t.

📆 September 12🕦 6pm-8pm📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210) & Online via Zoom🎟️RSVP for In-Person attendance below💻Register for virtual attendance via Zoom

OpenStreetMap Windsor-Essex Indoor Mapping Party
2025-09-09 17:30 - 20:00 | Fogolar Furlan, 1800 North Service Rd, Windsor, Ontario, N8W 1Y3, Canada
📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210)👥 In Person Only💲 Free

After August’s outdoor mapping adventure, we’re keeping things chill — literally — with an indoor mapping night at Hackforge HQ. Join us Tuesday, September 9th, 5:30–8:00 PM for some relaxed OpenStreetMap editing and friendly conversation.

No set theme, no pressure — just a chance to connect with fellow mappers and make the map a little better. Whether you’re brand new or a seasoned mapper, you’re welcome here!

We’ll provide:

help from experienced mappers

computers with JOSM installed

air conditioning

a relaxed atmosphere

cookies?

If you bring:

interest in improving local geodata

Sounds like a pretty good deal!

📆 Tuesday, September 9, 2025🕦 5:30 – 8 PM (drop in anytime!)📍 Hackforge HQ (300 Ouellette Ave, Unit 210)
