Nottingham, famous for men in tights, is now about to be famous (in the circles that count, of course) for something else: videogame cultural celebration. Yes! Why rob the rich and give to the poor when you could be in a videogames-themed pub quiz with the luscious Lorne Lanning and infamous Ian Livingstone?

GameCity is a new festival starting in two weeks in Nottingham, England. The organisers have chosen to go the cosy route: there are game rants held over curry and poppadums, and cake-and-tea parties (Sonic's birthday party), pub quizzes, plus industry giants dropping by to talk up their new stuff - hell, I'll just list a few choice topics from the long and sparkling list:

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• Grumpy Old Games Industry
  
  Live Moaning in an Indian Restaurant, with Ian Livingstone, Dave Doak and Andrew Eades moaning at Keith Stuart from the Guardian Games Blog.
• Richard Jacques Live at St Mary's
  
  Legendary SEGA composer plays his greatest hits candle-lit in a 14th Century Church.
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  [Can you say OMG? -A]
• Lorne Lanning: The Appetite for Escape
  
  Oddworld visionary has some VERY exciting news to break, say the organisers...
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  Everybody Dies
  
  The lads from Introversion, makers of Darwinia, on their new game DefCon.
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Did I mention the fest is being opened by Lord Puttnam, our videogame-playing aristo? Jack Thompson can continue with his red-faced, spittle-spraying invective, but over the pond they're probably playing GTA in Buck Palace, by now. Go get on up to Nottingham, and have some fun. Alice Taylor

GameCity: Nottingham's Celebrity-Laden Game Fest.

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