MID-DAY – A growing number of singles are turning to offline events to meet partners after years of app burnout. Startups like Up 2 Date IRL and The Intimacy Curator have organized over 25 events for 2,000+ participants, offering mixers such as pickleball meetups, supper clubs, and queer socials. The shift follows frustration with dating apps, which many users find impersonal and exhausting. Offline dating, however, faces its own issues such as poor turnout, no-shows, and gender-ratio imbalances. To address this, organizers screen participants, limit group sizes, and use “vibe-check” forms. Experts predict hybrid dating, combining online apps with curated in-person events, will dominate going forward.
See full article at Mid-Day