Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - If speed dating is a bit out of style, this Valentine's Day weekend, a new group in Buffalo is hoping their events can be the new way to connect local singles.
Pitch-A-Friend is a new dating event where people pitch their single friends with a presentation to a crowd of fellow singles.
"The whole premise is I create a powerpoint presentation, theme it, and get up onstage in front of a room full of other singles and let them know how awesome 'Alex' is, and then there's time afterwards for connections," said John, one of the event organizers.
The group says the events take a bit of the stress off of meeting new people, because you're there with a friend who you know, while also getting a bit of background on someone before you meet them for the first time.
While the ultimate goal is to create couples, the event focuses just as much on having any kind of in-person interaction.
"We're in that mindset of trying to create connections in person," John said. "We're all done with the dating apps, we're all done with trying to build chemistry through screens. We want people to be in the room together to meet, to have the opportunity to network, even if it's not with the sole intention of having a romantic date happen."
The events are free to attend, even if you don't have anyone pitching you, or are just going to watch the presentations for entertainment.
The next Pitch-A-Friend event is Friday night at Pearl Street Grill and Brewery. You can find more information HERE.