There was a time when “geek” referred to someone eccentric, unfashionable, overly intellectual and not socially inclined.

Not anymore.

“I’ve worn the label with pride for decades, long before geekiness was considered even remotely cool,” said Ryan Ozawa, the communications director for Hawaii Information Service, a local tech and data company. “Although most people think of science and technology when they hear the word ‘geek,’ my definition of it is inclusive. To me, a geek is anyone who is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about something — anything — and who pursues it with passion. Geeks are artists, writers, teachers, actors, photographers, entrepreneurs, podcasters, Web designers, app developers, drone pilots, ham radio enthusiasts — you name it.”

In 2006, Ozawa heard about the inaugural Maker Faire in San Mateo, Calif., an event conceived by Make: magazine to provide a venue for geeks to showcase their projects, hobbies, experiments and inventions.

It was a smashing success: Family-friendly Maker Faires started happening worldwide, even in Zagreb, Croatia; Shenzhen, China; and Hyderabad, India — so, Ozawa thought, why not Hawaii?

He launched his interpretation of it in April 2008 at Magic Island. That first Hawaii Geek Meet featured 10 organizations, and drew maybe 100 people (at least half of them just happened to be there that day).

Fast-forward to this year’s 12th annual event. More than 30 groups will be participating, and Ozawa is inviting everyone to pack a picnic and come to “talk story,” peruse the displays, watch the demonstrations, try the hands-on activities and make new friends in a beautiful seaside setting.

“The Hawaii Geek Meet is about learning and doing things in a casual atmosphere,” Ozawa said. “It’s an opportunity to meet and mingle with people that you might not otherwise cross paths with. You’ll share what you know, learn something that you don’t know and maybe collaborate with someone to make something new. Bringing diverse groups of people together is how magic happens.”

The Puzzle Company — a small family business that creates toys, games and other interactive diversions — will be bringing a giant version of Sudoku, a racetrack for toy cars and a 4-by-8-foot plywood panel with Geek Meet outlined on the front.

“People can draw whatever they want on it with colored Sharpies; it winds up being a graffiti board,” said Evan Knight, the Puzzle Company’s founder and president. “It’s live-action art, and we’ll be taking a time-lapse video of the process. It’ll be interesting to see what results from the contributions of many different hands.”

Who doesn’t like a treasure hunt? Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., band together with a bunch of buddies and go to Hawaii Geohana’s tent, where members will be giving out the GPS coordinates to a location on Magic Island. Using your smartphone or GPS-enabled tablet, you’ll head there to try and find the hidden geocache (container).

“Geocaching is like tourism; it’s about going places and discovering things,” said Paul Lawler, Hawaii Geohana’s spokesman. “It combines elements of technology, geography, sense of place and environmental responsibility in a fun, exciting, team-building activity. Geocaching is a worldwide phenomenon. There are 2,400-plus geocaches in Hawaii and more than 3 million of them in 190 countries, including Azerbaijan, Burkina Faso and Colombia. There are even geocaches in Antarctica and on the International Space Station.”

Jedi wannabes will make a beeline for the Hawaii Saber Academy’s tent to pick up tips on lightsaber combat and fight choreography. In addition to demonstrations, mini lessons and an exhibit of gear, there will be a 10 a.m. tournament for academy students, an open tournament at noon for kids ages 8 through 12, and a 2 p.m. open tournament for those 13 and older (the latter two tournaments are limited to the first eight people to sign up).

“The LED polycarbonate blades we use are elegant and formidable,” said Keith Mylett, the academy’s owner/operator. “Our Saber ohana includes fencers, martial artists, sword lovers, sci-fi geeks, ‘Star Wars’ fans and ordinary people who enjoy ‘killing’ each other with nerd sticks while getting a safe, pretty intense workout.”

Sharing their space will be the Salle Honolulu Fencing Club, which provides classes on modern Olympic fencing, and its sister school, Schola Saint George Honolulu, whose focus is medi­eval swordsmanship and European martial arts. Mylett’s friend, Colin Chock, is the head coach of Salle Honolulu and one of the head coaches of Schola Saint George Honolulu.

“We’ll be giving lessons and demonstrations and allowing the public to fence with our replica swords,” Chock said. “Our replicas are similar to real Olympic swords, but instead of steel they’re made of plastic, so they’re lighter and safer. There are no weight or age categories; moms or dads can fence with their child of any age.”

Fashionistas will no doubt be drawn to Steampunk Hawaii. Steampunk is a style of attire that’s inspired by the aesthetics of a period when steam power was widely used, hence Victorian England, the American Old West and, for kamaaina, the Hawaiian monarchy era.

“It’s a few parts history, a few parts fantasy and a few parts science fiction,” said Tracy Chan, the group’s organizer. “Even though we often turn to the 1800s, I don’t like pinning what we do to one time frame because of the crossover potential. Our members also venture into the ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Star Trek,’ ‘Ghostbusters,’ superhero and video game universes.”

Most of Steampunk Hawaii’s cosplayers are not professional costumers, but they love dressing up in outfits and accessories they’ve made or coordinated. Chan mixes commissioned pieces from local seamstresses, crafters and leatherworkers with items she has repurposed, made herself or bought from Amazon, Goodwill, Savers and garage sales.

And that’s what the Hawaii Geek Meet is all about: creativity, curiosity, innovation and resourcefulness.

“Visitors will see a side of Hawaii that doesn’t appear in guidebooks and travel documentaries,” Ozawa said. “Expect the unexpected; there are always surprises.”

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.