New York is one of the most vibrant cities in the world, and it is making the future happen faster. It is absolutely natural, then, that the Big Apple is the place for several exciting virtual and augmented reality events, dedicated both to professionals and to the general public.
New Technologies, Closer to People and Easier to Understand
Nothing replaces direct experience as a way to understand how new technologies work. Both children and adults are excited to try VR and AR, some of them as a novel experience, and others as a deciding factor in purchasing devices and content.
As things stand, every AR and VR fan will be able to learn more about these technologies, try them, and even become proficient at creating AR/VR experiences in a selection of virtual and augmented reality events taking place in New York throughout the rest of the year.
These are our top picks:
1. 360 Video Production
When: June 11–June 12
Where: AbelCine, 88 35th Street, Brooklyn, NY
Price: $950
Do you want to learn how to create virtual reality and 360 videos like a professional? Then you shouldn’t miss this two-day event, presented and taught by Dado Valentic from Colour Training and Mike Nichols from AbelCine.
The event is structured as an in-depth training course, including:
- Introduction to 360 Video
- 360 Storytelling
- 360 Camera Presentation
- 360 Video Viewing
- Practical exercise: 360 video shot and post-production
2. VR/360 Night @Littlstar
When: June 13
Where: Littlstar, 584 Broadway #603, NY
Price: $12.24
Treat yourself to an immersive virtual and augmented reality event which will include 360-degree movies, AR and VR experiences and demos developed by some of the best known and respected content producers in New York.
You will also have the opportunity to network with various people in the industry, as well as enjoy some pizza and beer. This is a perfect way of spending a Wednesday evening if you are a fan of virtual and augmented reality events.
3. Street Art Expo NYC
When: June 24
Where: The 19th Avenue Stage, 19-02 Steinway Street, Queens, NY
Price: $25.03 – $71.01
Street Art Expo NYC is an annual convention bringing together street art, skating, and designer toys. It features live demonstrations, meet & greets with celebrities and the chance to purchase various art, toys and skating related items.
This year, the convention will also include a Virtual Reality Gaming Station, where participants can learn spray painting in 15-minute sessions of VR Aerosol Painting. If you are proud of your artwork, you can share it with the other attendees.
4. VentureOut New Media – A Remastered Pitch Night
When: August 8
Where: NY (precise location to be announced)
Price: $23.16 – $529.92
The Remastered Pitch Event brings together some of the most promising AR and VR startups and gives them the opportunity to pitch their business ideas and products to interested investors. This is one of the many virtual and augmented reality events where the excitement of discovering new AR/VR experience is mixed with practical networking and business opportunities.
While this is a professional business event, the general public is also encouraged to participate. So, if you want to be among the first to know which AR/VR products and experiences will next appear on the market, you should consider attending a Remastered Pitch Night by VentureOut New Media.
5. Summer Camp Virtual Reality Ages 8–14
When: August 13–August 16
Where: 100 Merrill Ave, 100 Merrill Avenue, Staten Island, NY
Price: $213.20
This is one of the virtual and augmented reality events dedicated to children who want to learn more about these new technologies. Organized by the Office of Continuing Education & Professional Development of the College of Staten Island, the three-day event will help children learn how to create virtual reality experiences, explore holographic and augmented environments and craft their own virtual worlds.
6. Augmented Reality for Journalism
When: September 26
Where: CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, 219 West 40th Street, NY
Price: $28.45
Hosted by Matt MacVey, who teaches immersive journalism programs at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, this event is recommended for professional journalists, but anyone from the general public is welcome to attend. In the one-day session, the trainer will present and invite the attendees to try various AR experiences developed by news organizations across the world. Afterwards, the trainer will introduce the participants to the process for creating their own AR experiences for journalism and discuss the future developments of the technology and its applications in news storytelling.
Participants should bring their own smartphones in order to enjoy the AR experiences.
7. NY Games Conference
When: October 4
Where: Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place, NY
Price: $410.97 – $718.47
Part of the New York Media Festival, the NY Games Conference brings together senior representatives of gaming publishers, game developers, movie studios and technology providers. It is a meaningful and valuable networking event, much more than a simple event for showcasing new technologies and content.
We recommend this as a must-attend virtual and augmented reality event if you are interested in knowing what really happens behind the scenes in the AR and VR gaming industry. A special panel of technology leaders will focus on what consumers can enjoy at the moment, in terms of devices and content, as well as the rate of adoption among consumers.
Some of the confirmed participants at this year’s edition are:
- Aaron Luber, AR/VR Partnerships, Daydream/Tango, Google
- Julie Shumaker, VP, Business Development, Unity Technologies
- David Liu, Creative Director, Virtual Reality, Viacom NEXT.
