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An event from The Pair Club at Get Tight Lounge
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Finding a date — or more — has never been so digital. According to statistics from online matchmaker eHarmony, around 30% of U.S. adults are using dating apps such as Tinder and Hinge; among young adults under 30, roughly 53% are looking for a partner online.
Meanwhile, the proliferation of dating apps has also created demand for in-person connection. A handful of local social groups are working to fill the void.
“I wanted to bring dating back into community and make it feel more accountable and human,” says Margarita Prokofyeva, founder of The Pair Club, an event series meant to unite Richmonders at a time when young adults increasingly feel disconnected. She partners with local businesses to host pop-up events intended to re-create social settings as they might have existed before the internet. “I wasn’t of age to go out to the bars in the ’90s or early 2000s, but [it’s] what I imagined a bar scene would feel like in that time.”
Since its founding in September 2025, the club has hosted more than 25 events, including a spring picnic and spa day at Celeste Farms, a tennis party at Byrd Park, and a day paddling on the James River with an after-party at Daisy’s at Tredegar, attracting more than 1,000 attendees. “Imagine people meeting for the first time in that setting — kind of like muddy, barefoot on the river, learning something new and having fun,” Prokofyeva says. “It felt like adult summer camp.”
The latest addition to the mixer scene, Meet Cute Club, teed off its first event last month at Topgolf on Westwood Avenue. “I like the idea of doing an activity, so it’s not like an awkward conversation,” says founder Eryn Myrick. “It’s actually an activity where people can interact and have fun.” Myrick, who is also a personal matchmaker and dating coach, advises first-time participants to spend more time listening rather than trying to impress.
“So, ask questions and be curious about other people,” she says. “It just lends itself not only to good conversation, but also it helps you to make an informed decision on whether somebody might be right for you.”
If you have a single friend who’s a catch and you want everyone to know it, consider attending a Pitch-A-Friend RVA event. Part of a nationwide trend, pitch events happen monthly at different local bars and breweries, but the objective stays the same: Tell dating prospects about your friend in a three- to five-minute slide presentation.
While in-person meetups can take more effort than a simple swipe, matchmakers including Myrick encourage people to take some of the pressure off and just have fun. “Maybe there’ll be a spark that comes from it,” she says, “but if not, maybe you might walk away with friends.”
