Something that school never warns you about is how tricky it can be to make friends as a full blown adult. Whether it’s difficulty scheduling a group hangout or figuring out how to casually text a new friend for a wine night, juggling mental health, work, and trying to stay in touch with the people in my life has become a game of Tetris. With more than 1 in 10 Canadians reportedly feeling lonely (Statistics Canada, 2024), it is important to ask: In a digital, post-covid world full of anxious texters and remote workers – how can I feel connected to people in a world that is so disconnected?

A month ago, I went to a small dinner service that celebrated Filipino and Cambodian comfort food where both chefs shared food and personal stories about each dish. 15 people, some friends, most strangers, we sat across from each other on the same large table and dined over food that most people had never had. It was warm and intimate, and over the course of the 2 hour dining service, me and this room of strangers all felt like we were a big family sharing stories and a big meal at dinner time.

Over the last couple of years, the city of Toronto has seen an increase in the popularity of small pop-up events, highlighting specific groups or interests, such as block parties celebrating a love for natural wine or small dinner services highlighting specific cuisines. With the rising epidemic of loneliness and the continuous loss of third spaces, people more than ever are wanting to be a part of something special, and are turning to analog mechanisms of fostering community such as food and music to find their people and make meaningful relationships. 

The common thread that ties all of these events together is a focus on culture. Culture has always been a conduit for connectivity, whether it’s being a part of a certain community or niche interest group, culture continues to make us feel like we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. It’s as if simply being at these smaller and seemingly more intimate gatherings meant that the people around me were never really strangers. Because rather than just attending an event, we were sharing a moment, so therefore we were already connected. 

Yes, I’m definitely a ‘feelings girly’, but I am also an XM girly, so I think that there is something to be said about how more personal experiences can make an impact in the industry. When we think experientially, we think big, bold, and flashy activations with all the bells and whistles, but what if we scaled everything back and allowed our guests, influencers, or clients to have a moment to network, experience the product, and meaningfully learn and engage with the brand? Especially with the summer being over and experiential season is seemingly more quiet, brands can take it indoors and embrace the natural coziness the cooler months have to offer. Whether it’s a small dinner party or a community event, we can turn to the effortless effectiveness of intimacy to organically create meaningful experiences. 

It is no secret that the more connected we are to our devices, the less connected we are with each other, but how do we juggle being a human in the digital age without losing the interactions that make us human? And from an industry standpoint, how can we create experiences that not only allow guests to resonate with brands we represent, but also feed our innate need to interact and connect with one another? Perhaps all it takes is taking a step back and think about what has time, and time again, brought people together.