Hobby Events See Massive Spike As A Dating Meetup Option

Gen Z’s relationship with dating apps may be changing, but its interest in meeting potential partners has not disappeared. Instead, young singles are increasingly looking to hobby-based events and social activities as opportunities to make connections offline, with dating apps being the facilitator that allows singles to find people who are also in the same boat.

Data from events marketplace Eventbrite shows a sharp increase in events explicitly designed to help people meet others. Comparing activity between January and June 2025 and the same period in 2026, the platform found that trivia events with a social or singles component increased 403% year over year. Mahjong gatherings rose 235%, while plant swaps and terrarium workshops increased 117%. Pilates socials were up 84%.

Birdwatching meetups also recorded growth, with the number of events increasing 131% and attendance rising 82%.

The figures reflect a broader shift toward social settings where dating is not necessarily the primary objective. Rather than attending an event specifically to find a partner, participants can start with an existing interest and allow relationships to develop organically.

This trend comes as dating app fatigue continues among younger users. According to data from mobile analytics company AppsFlyer cited in the report, 65% of dating apps downloaded in 2024 were deleted within a month, rising to 69% by November. Separately, a March 2025 survey by men’s healthcare brand Hims found that 77% of Gen Z respondents had met their partner in person.

The renewed interest in offline activities also overlaps with the broader popularity of screen-free hobbies among younger consumers. Activities such as gardening, knitting, sewing and scrapbooking have gained visibility as people look for ways to spend time away from digital platforms.

This naturally creates a new avenue that dating apps can focus on. Dating apps and platforms can help users discover events, identify shared interests or organise group activities, while the actual relationship-building can happen (or at least progress past the early stages) face to face. The emerging model is less about abandoning digital dating altogether and more about using technology as a bridge to offline social experience