Nerdnite. Beer + An Amazing Gathering of People Who Would Rather Listen to Interesting Lectures than Go to a Dance Club.

Philadelphia is not the only city that hosts a "nerdnite." It's a growing trend among people in their 20s and 30s to congregate at a bar and listen to experts talk about cool things. I had the pleasure of attending Philly's nerdnite at the Field House Bar, where there was comedy, live music and speakers.

One of the mini-lectures most relevant to my field of study was by Sarah from the Philly Department of Parks, who discussed the critical role of tree canopy in an urban environment. I learned that the city's goal is to reach 30% tree cover by 2015, from the current 20%. Most northeastern cities share this goal, except for Washington, D.C. which is already at 30% and is aiming for 40%.

Nerdnite happens every third thursday, somewhere in the city. food, beer, and fellow nerds, what could be better?!