First Clue: 10/4 @ 6:00pm
Live Kickoff: 10/5 @ 10:00am
Play Until: 10/6 @ 10:00pm
Every year, Game Genius designs and hosts a city-wide treasure hunt around a social theme. Form a team, solve puzzles, and learn about local changemakers!
Our 2024 Hunt will explore Arts & Culture
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Past events featured Women's History (2019), Mental Health (2020), Climate & Environment (2021), Literacy (2022), Food & Housing (2023).
2024 SPONSORS
2024 PARTNERS
BE A SPONSOR
Want to support the sustainability and novelty of this annual game event? Consider becoming a 2024 sponsor at any of our levels.
BE A PARTNER
Do you know or work at a nonprofit doing critical arts and culture work in the DMV region? Let us know. We want to feature them!
DESIGN COMMITTEE
Calling all storytellers and treasure hunt enthusiasts! We are looking for community volunteers to join our event design committee. This group helps craft the narrative, establish game locations, as well as design art and puzzles for players to engage with. Click the button below to learn more and sign up.
HOW TO PLAY
Welcome to our 6th Annual District Hunt! We’re excited for you, your family, your friends, and your co-workers to join us for this year's puzzle adventure!
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Each year, we design our game around a different theme built into the physical and cultural landscape of Washington DC. In 2024, our focus is on Arts & Culture. Previous themes covered Women's History (2019), Mental Health (2020), Climate/Environment (2021), Literacy (2022), and Food/Housing (2023).
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Play at your own pace or race against other teams anytime during this 36-hour event. Each ticket accommodates up to 8 players...
OPENING RACE -- On 10/5 @ 10:00amET, a race to complete the puzzle as fast as possible begins. Grand prizes will be awarded based on speed and accuracy.
SELF-DIRECTED -- Anytime between 10/5 - 10/6, anyone who has signed up can try to complete the puzzle on their own time. Fewer prizes will be awarded for this experience.
EVENT PRIZES
As a multi-day event, there are several opportunities to win. We work with local companies and venues to award player teams with thematic prize packages:
GRAND PRIZE
Local Experiences
TOP PRIZES
Game Products & Services
FUN PRIZES
Swag & Small Items
FAQ
Who can sign up? - Everyone! The District Hunt is open to any individual or team who wants to play.
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What's the story? - TBD. This year will revolve around Arts & Culture. The design committee is currently crafting the plot.
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How much does it cost to play? - Take advantage of our Early Bird Special! Sign up by July 31, and register your team for $50. After August 1, regular tickets cost $100/team. Teams accommodate up to 8 players
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When is the deadline to sign up? - Registration remains open until the event ends on October 6.
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Where does the event start? - On Friday, October 4, we will release a first clue online. The event then runs for the entire weekend, starting with the kickoff (location TBD) at 10:00amET. You will be able to check in anytime on October 5-6.
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What are the geographic boundaries of this event? - Our design team plans to build entirely within the DC diamond. There might be clue references about the Greater Washington region (DC, MD, VA), but players will only need to travel within the District.
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How does the event work? - Part of this is a secret, but what we can tell you is that teams will progress through clues using a website on a smartphone. We plan to offer the experience in person (physical adventure), with some pieces completable from home.
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How long will the hunt take? - This entirely depends on your ability to solve the puzzles and navigate the city. Our goal is to offer several checkpoints that encourage players to determine an appropriate time to stop. Each checkpoint will represent a step up in difficulty. Players are welcome to break up the game over several days or try to finish in a specific time window. For the race, we'll design for the fastest time to be somewhere around 2-4 hours.
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What do I need to participate? - For puzzle materials, we suggest bringing a smart phone and charging cable/device, along with pencil and paper to take notes. For the experience, we encourage players to plan accordingly around the weather and wear comfortable clothes/shoes for adventuring around a city. For transportation, we will design around what is safe and accessible for players. We will try to avoid advantaging those who have access to personal vehicles.
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Who designed the puzzles? - A small team of Game Genius staff and community volunteers. We're always looking for more designers and creatives. If you're interested, click here.
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What age is this game appropriate for? - Our goal is to make it accessible for everyone by offering levels of the experience and a text hotline for clues. Early puzzles should by approachable by younger players with the right guidance. Later puzzles are longer and trickier, which are typically enjoyed more by adults who want a challenge.
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Do I need to have experience solving puzzles? - You don't need previous experience, but it can help identify familiar patterns or logic flows. Puzzles come in many different flavors, and we'll provide hints along the way.
Can I complete the hunt alone? - Yes! It might be a daunting task and we always suggest playing with others, but there are no puzzles that require more than 1 person to solve it.
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Can I invite a lot of people to play with me? - Yes, but we recommend 2-5 players. Also remember that 1 team ticket represents up to 8 players. If there are more than 8 people, please acquire another ticket.
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How does the District Hunt support Arts and Culture? - Each year's puzzle story is designed around local nonprofits and other changemakers. See above for the list of partners. See below for past event reports.
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How can I sponsor or partner with the District Hunt? - We welcome partners and sponsors that align with the arts event theme in some way. As a small organization and volunteer committee, both monetary and in-kind support is very useful. We plan to grow this event every year, and we look forward to building a strong relationship. Please send an email to info@gamegenius.org for more information.
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How are you planning around the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic? - Game Genius will follow up-to-date CDC recommendations to offer this year's hunt in a safe manner. Game Genius can't control what everyone will do in public, so we ask that you make the best judgment for you and your loved ones.
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Can I donate to Game Genius and are donations tax-deductible? - Yes and yes! Game Genius is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. Any level of support is much appreciated. Click here to get started.
PAST EVENTS
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