Hundreds with highest IQs in Wheeling for HalloweeM weekend
While most people are celebrating Halloween by trick-or-treating through neighborhoods, the country's high IQ society will be celebrating HalloweeM in Wheeling at Mensa's largest regional gathering Oct. 29-Nov. 1.
The M in HalloweeM stands for Mensa, an organization of people with high IQs. Mensans all score in the top 2 percent of approved intelligence tests. And once individuals test into Mensa, they can be members for life.
The regional gatherings serve as a social opportunity for Mensans across the country, and this year marks the 40th HalloweeM event, Chicago-are Mensa Spokesman Michael Hudec said.
"This is kind of a subculture," Hudec said. "You see a lot of the same faces."
On tap for this year's 40th Chicago-area Mensa gathering is the opportunity to play chess against a blindfolded chess master, a pretentious drinking event and two costume contests.
And while you may find your run-of-the-mill ghost or witch, many attendees put a clever twist on their costumes and dress as visual puns.
"There was once a girl in a princess costume and she carried a specimen jar," Hudec said. "She was the princess and the pea."
Awards will be given for the best and worst costume puns.
The Chicago area regional gathering usually draws about 500 attendees in addition to guest speakers, Hudec says.
Guest speakers are set to give presentations titled "No More Narcissists! How to Stop Choosing Self-Absorbed Men and Find the Love You Deserve," "History of Mob Violence in Chicago" and "The Beauty of Algorithmic Art."
People come in from all over the country, and this year people are traveling from Germany and Netherlands, HalloweeM chair Heather Booton says.
And HalloweeM isn't just for Mensans themselves, but their immediate family and spouses, too.
The regional gatherings serve as a social event for Mensans, and often these gatherings are the only times friends from across the country see each other during the year.
"Some of the kids only see their friends when their parents go off to these nerd gatherings, and if the parents don't go, some of the kids don't see their friends for an entire year," Hudec said.
Hudec says when it comes to the costumes and jokes told throughout the weekend, Mensans "get your jokes, and if we didn't laugh, it's not funny."
As for the pretentious drinking event slated for Saturday, Alan Baltis and his Merry Pourmeisters will pour various liquors and liqueurs for adventurous Mensans.
"I usually go and find something I've never had before," Hudec said. "And the people pouring are all usually dressed up pretty nicely."
The Chicago-area Mensa website suggests "snobbish accents and extended pinkies optional" for the pretentious event.