ILLUSTRATION BY ZARA PICKEN
In this post-pandemic world, we’re all craving human connection. When it comes to dating, the constant swiping and liking on dating apps can be a drag—but venturing out alone to try to meet your person can be equally intimidating.
Where do all the singles my age hang out? How do I know if someone even wants me to approach them? There are so many questions that you may decide to go back to swiping. Date Cincy is here to help you meet your person, in person.
Paige Braley and Logan Moore have been best friends since the sixth grade. The Cincinnati natives have done everything from running marathons to traveling the world together. By day, Braley runs The Beauty Boost, which hosts events for women to make friends and find community. While attending an event, Moore wondered why something like The Beauty Boost didn’t exist for singles.
“It’s hard, as adults, to make friends,” says Moore. “And it’s also hard to date and find the person you’re going to be with.” She mentioned her idea to Braley, and the two became cofounders of Date Cincy. Since the first event in August 2023, Date Cincy has taken off—and they’re just getting started. The main goal is to create a safe and comfortable space for singles to come together in a low-pressure environment.
“When singles go out and about, they’re left wondering if a person is single or if they can approach them,” says Braley. Although she’s married, she’s learned a lot about the single struggles through friends like Moore. “We want to remove the primary barrier of not knowing if [someone] is looking, or even single.”
Date Cincy hosts one large-scale social per month at local venues. These events, which typically reach 250 attendees, are high-energy and full of games, giveaways, and conversation. Attendees will wear a white bracelet if they’re looking to seriously date or a black bracelet if they are casually dating or not quite sure what they’re looking for yet.
If large events aren’t your thing, Date Cincy also hosts smaller, activity-based events. In the past, the group has done speed dating, golfing at Swing Fit, and more. For all Date Cincy events, the age range is 25–45 years old. However, anyone over 21 is welcome to attend. The group hopes to expand to host more events for people over 45 in 2024.
Date Cincy has a full calendar of events for this year, and in the coming months you can expect to see events like the St. Paddy’s Day Party at Mojave East on March 15, the Braxton Brewing Spring Rooftop Mixer on April 25, and a classic mixer at Covington Yard on May 23.
Braley and Moore say attendee feedback has been positive—some singles have even thanked the pair for giving them the confidence to leave the house and put themselves out there. If you don’t meet your match at a Date Cincy event, you may leave having made lifelong friends.
“There’s a group of girls who met at our first event who now come to all of our events together,” says Moore. “So many people have found community.”
To them, the Cincinnati community is unlike any other they’ve seen—and that’s why Date Cincy is thriving. “We’re very fortunate that the crowd we’ve attracted is a kind, genuine and Cincinnati crowd,” says Braley. “The Cincinnati community is just next level. [People] truly work together to make things local to Cincinnati thrive.”
Date Cincy partners with local businesses and venues for their events and giveaways and are always looking for more ways to involve them in future events. They also are always accepting volunteers, single or not, to help run their socials.
Ready to meet your person in person? Braley and Moore encourage you to come to an event with an open mind. “Just come. Come and be yourself, come relaxed, and come ready to have some conversations,” says Moore.
If you’re a Cincinnati single with fun ideas for meetups, the Date Cincy inbox is open to suggestions. Follow them on Instagram @datecincy or shoot them an e-mail at datecincy@gmail.com.
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