Event Recap: HurryDate/JDate NYC Pub Quiz for Singles
Last night, we had the honor of partnering with HurryDate, the live events division of online dating colossus JDate, to produce their first-ever pub quiz night for singles!
Taking a new twist on our trivia team building and NYC experiential marketing events, we worked alongside the pros to create a truly unique, engaging and extremely social singles mixer – and a highly successful one at that!
As described in a recent post, singles events present a number of distinct challenges for event planners. Unlike other events, the ultimate success or failure of the evening depends on a single factor: who will show up? Will there be enough attendees to have a meaningful event? Will there be an equal gender mix? Will the attendees be age-appropriate? All of these are questions which both singles event planners, attendees and potential attendees ask themselves – and, unfortunately, are virtually completely out of anybody’s control.
Last night, however, I am delighted to report that everything fell into place! Taking over two spacious 2nd floor private joining rooms at Social Bar & Lounge in midtown Manhattan, a SOLD OUT crowd of smiling trivia lovers converged for a night of competitive, high-energy entertainment. While I am not posting any photos of the event out of respect for our attendees’ privacy, I can assure you that not only were attendees within the 30s/40s age group that the event was directed towards, but we had a PERFECT 50/50 male-female ratio – virtually unheard of in singles event circles. Can’t ask for better than that!
I made sure my wedding ring was on prominent display throughout the event.
Upon arrival, attendees were greeted by the friendly and experienced staff from HurryDate, who promptly assigned each person to a team – ensuring that each individual group was equally weighted with both men and women. Following a nice mingling session set to music and happy hour drink specials, teams were invited to sit at tables, and asked to come up with hysterically funny team names. I was hosting this event, and made sure to ask questions appropriate to both the age group, as well as the situation (think lots of good 80s/90s pop culture references, as well as some fun NYC trivia as well).
In between rounds, while our team graded answer sheets, attendees were encouraged to stand up, grab a drink and mix throughout both rooms while the music was turned back up. These regular breaks in the game served as natural socialization periods, allowing everyone to mingle, and not feel “trapped” at their table for the entire event. Fun & humorous prizes were given away throughout, including a toy train to the last place team (for “pulling up the rear”) as well as a toy “beauty kit” for the 2nd place team (a-la Monopoly’s 2nd prize in a beauty contest bit).
All told, it was an incredibly fun, highly-engaging event with a positive energy throughout. Having planned and run more singles events than I can count as director of adult education programs at the 92nd Street Y, I know how difficult it can be eliciting positive feedback from these events – which is why I was stunned to have so many people come up to me afterwards, telling me how much fun they had – and that we should do more singles trivia nights in the future! As further sign of the event’s success, most people stuck around after the event had officially ended, to continue mingling, chatting – and hopefully, exchange information.
Given my professional (and personal) background, I have a unique appreciation for how difficult it can be to meet people in New York City and elsewhere – especially for those in their 30s/40s – and am so incredibly happy to have helped create an environment which allowed people to socialize in a fun, interactive and meaningful way!
What thoughts/suggestions can you offer for how this or other singles events in NYC and beyond can be run? I welcome your responses below!