let's do fun thingshosted events.
social people.
actually fun.
shared experiences with people who actually show up
@letsdofunthingschicago
you could have stayed in. but you didn't.
this is what saying yes looks like.
real conversations. real chemistry. no profiles required.
rooms full of people who actually showed up.
it starts as "maybe." it ends like this.
sunset walk + watch party
Adler Planetarium Skyline Walk
517 E Solidarity Dr, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
we’re teaming up with Chicago Girls Who Walk and Chicago Gents Who Stroll for a sunset walk + watch party at chicago’s best sunset spot ☀️ bring a blanket, a camera, and be ready to make new friends. we’ll bring friendship bracelets and bubbles (because let’s be real, sometimes you just don’t know what to do with your hands) and the ultimate lake party playlist 🕺🏻 don’t do summer alone! keep an eye out here for exact walking route info!
game night: liar's night
Duffy's Tavern and Grille
420 W Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
liar's night is back. we're switching up game night. every game on the table will focus on social deduction, deception, bluffing, and reading the room. spend the night trying to catch someone else in a lie, or convincing the group you’re totally innocent (even when you’re definitely not). coming solo? we’ve got you covered. we’ll help match you with a group and walk everyone through the rules so you can jump right in and start playing. whether you’re a master manipulator or a terrible liar, this is a game night where everyone wins.
arguing with strangers
The Scout Waterhouse + Kitchen
1419 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610, USA
our sold out arguing with strangers event returns for a rematch, Tuesday, september 1. arguing with strangers is half debate club, half open mic, and 100% real talk. we start things easy. get paired with a stranger, get handed a side, and argue something ridiculous. like is a hot dog a sandwich? defend it with everything you've got and practice disagreeing with a laugh. then the best matchups go up front. the crowd picks a winner on who's more fun to watch, not who's right. once everyone's loose, the topics get real and you argue what you actually believe. the stuff you don't usually say out loud to a stranger. what you'd never compromise on. maybe what you've even changed your mind about. things may get serious, but they stay civil. And at the end of the night, you walk away knowing you can completely disagree with someone and still walk out respecting a new friend. we forgot how to do that. this is practice.
game night
Duffy's Tavern and Grille
420 W Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
join us for game night every Monday at Duffy's! we've got a curated collection of fun easy-to-learn games that allow you to make friends over friendly competition coming solo? we've got you covered! we'll set you up with games and fun players to enjoy the night with. see you there!
last call lectures: lie better, laugh more: the linguistics of humor and deceit
The Scout Waterhouse + Kitchen
1419 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610, USA
last call lectures presents lie better, laugh more: the linguistics of humor and deceit all of us have laughed, and whether we want to admit it or not, all of us have lied. what we didn't know is that deceit and humor have more in common than we thought. this lecture we're digging into why jokes and lies both hinge on a listener expecting one thing and getting another, what your word choice gives away when you're bending the truth, and why the best comedians are, linguistically speaking, doing the same trick as the best liars. leading the night is dr. jason riggle, a professor at the university of chicago. dr. riggle brings 20+ years of experience working in the linguistics field and is currently working on their book, the linguistics of humor and deceit. here is how the night runs: dr. riggle opens with a 45 minute lecture, followed by 15 minutes of live q&a. then we break into small groups for 45 minutes of guided discussion, closing with a 15 minute debrief to bring it all back together. stick around after for mingling, this crowd always has more to say.
let's learn salsa
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn salsa: september series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week salsa series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates tuesday, september 8 tuesday, september 15 thursday, september 24 (Salsa Before Sunset, included) tuesday, september 29 who it's for anyone who wants to actually learn salsa instead of shuffling through it. no partner needed, no experience required. you'll start with the basics and build from there. what to expect three sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each time, so by week two you know the room and by week three you're dancing with people you actually know. Andrew covers timing, the basic step, cross-body lead, turns, and the lead/follow connection that makes it feel like dancing instead of counting. included all three tuesday classes plus admission to Salsa Before Sunset on thursday, september 24, our rooftop social with a DJ, sunset, and a full floor. the social lands between weeks two and three, so you'll get to test what you've learned and still have a class left to sharpen it. showing up to a dance floor alone is hard. showing up to week two already knowing half the room is a different night entirely.
singles bingo happy hour
Hubbard Inn
110 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654, USA
singles bingo happy hour bingo but make it a meet cute. grab a drink (first ones included), grab a card, and get introduced to everyone at your table before the first number even gets called. your host runs the room, keeps the energy up, and makes sure nobody is sitting there alone pretending to read the menu. we're playing multiple rounds with real prizes on the line, and the mixers between rounds mean you'll actually talk to people instead of just staring at your card. come solo, come with a friend, either way you're leaving with new numbers. the bingo kind and the other kind. first round starts promptly, so get there early for a drink and a good seat. 25-35
salsa before sunset
Castaways Beach Club
1603 N Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
salsa, the beach, and the best skyline view in the city. 21+ we're taking over castaways on north avenue beach for a night of salsa dancing right as the sun dips behind the city. the night opens with a beginner-friendly lesson, so whether you're a seasoned dancer or you've never moved to a beat in your life, you'll be on the floor in no time. then the dj takes over with the best of salsa, bachata, and latin hits while the sky lights up over lake michigan. come solo, bring your crew, or show up ready to meet someone new. no partner needed. no experience necessary. just bring an open mind and shoes you can spin in.
let's learn bachata
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn bachata: beginner series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week beginner bachata series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates saturday, september 12 saturday, september 19 thursday, september 24 (salsa before sunset, included for free) saturday, september 26 who it's for total beginners. no partner needed, no experience needed, no rhythm required (we'll get you there). if you've been curious about bachata but haven't had a reason to start, this is it. what to expect three progressive saturday sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each week, so by session three you know your partners, the basic step feels natural, and you can actually dance a song from start to finish. Andrew will cover the fundamentals: basic step, timing, connection, side-to-side, and your first turn patterns. included all three saturday classes plus admission to salsa before sunset on thursday, september 24, the rooftop social where you can practice what you learned with a live DJ, sunset, and a full floor of dancers. bachata gets played too. don't worry. the bigger idea most people never take a class because walking in alone feels awkward. we solve that: your host introduces you to the room, you're paired up from minute one, and by week two you're greeting people by name. that's the whole point.
miles and mimosas
Caffè Oliva at Ohio Street Beach
550 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
a sunday morning that actually feels good. run if you want. walk if you want. show up for the brunch and no one will judge. we're starting with three pace groups so everyone can move at their own speed: fast pace, 2 miles easy pace, 2 miles walk + talk, 1 mile everyone meets at 12 for dancing, a dj, drinks, food, and the kind of exciting morning sunday is supposed to be.
game night: speed friending
Duffy's Tavern and Grille
420 W Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
looking for your game night crew? this is the place to start. we're kicking the night off with a low-pressure icebreaker. from there, you’ll rotate through a selection of easy-to-learn, fun-to-play party games, playing two different games with two different groups to keep things social, active, and engaging. then open play begins, and the night transitions into our classic game night experience. mix, match, and play whatever you’d like from our curated collection of approachable games designed to spark friendly competition and conversation. whether you’re new to board games or just new to chicago, this night is built for meeting new people and making friends. check-in begins at 6:00 pm, speed friending starts at 6:30 pm. open play kicks off at 7:30. see you there 🎲
game night - 7:30 start time
Duffy's Tavern and Grille
420 W Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
join us for game night every Monday at Duffy's! we've got a curated collection of fun easy-to-learn games that allow you to make friends over friendly competition coming solo? we've got you covered! we'll set you up with games and fun players to enjoy the night with. see you there! this game night follows our speed friending game night! mix and match with new people before our usual open play game night begins. check out speed friending in our event feed for more details.
last call lectures: the epic journey of the odyssey: from the iliad to the aeneid to imax theaters
The Scout Waterhouse + Kitchen
1419 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610, USA
christopher nolan just spent a quarter-billion dollars reminding everyone that one of the hottest stories of 2026 is also roughly 2,800 years old. but before odysseus was matt damon, before the trojan war was an imax spectacle, and long before western civilization decided that reading dead greeks made you sophisticated, there was homer: a probably-not-one-guy poet telling enormous stories about war, monsters, gods, bad decisions, wounded egos, and one man taking an absolutely unreasonable amount of time to get home. in this lecture, historian dr. john j murphy takes us back to the ancient world to unpack the iliad, the odyssey, and their wildly influential roman successor, virgil’s aeneid. we’ll meet heroes who are brave, petty, horny, traumatized, occasionally brilliant, and spectacularly bad at conflict resolution—and ask how their stories became some of the foundational texts of western literature. then we’re heading to the movies. what does christopher nolan keep from homer? what does he throw overboard? why make the gods quieter, the war darker, and odysseus more recognizably human? and when you adapt a story that has already survived nearly three millennia of retellings, is changing it actually a betrayal, or the most homeric thing you could possibly do? come for the cyclops. stay for the fall of troy, roman propaganda, ancient masculinity, unreliable narrators, extremely vindictive gods, and the realization that basically every road movie, war story, homecoming narrative, and “one last job before i can go home” plot owes homer his flowers. we’ve spent 2,800 years telling the same stories; christopher nolan just put them back in imax.
let's learn salsa
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn salsa: september series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week salsa series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates tuesday, september 8 tuesday, september 15 thursday, september 24 (Salsa Before Sunset, included) tuesday, september 29 who it's for anyone who wants to actually learn salsa instead of shuffling through it. no partner needed, no experience required. you'll start with the basics and build from there. what to expect three sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each time, so by week two you know the room and by week three you're dancing with people you actually know. Andrew covers timing, the basic step, cross-body lead, turns, and the lead/follow connection that makes it feel like dancing instead of counting. included all three tuesday classes plus admission to Salsa Before Sunset on thursday, september 24, our rooftop social with a DJ, sunset, and a full floor. the social lands between weeks two and three, so you'll get to test what you've learned and still have a class left to sharpen it. showing up to a dance floor alone is hard. showing up to week two already knowing half the room is a different night entirely.
let's go line dancing
Epiphany Center for the Arts
201 S Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
let's go line dancing at epiphany boots, beats, and your new favorite night out. we're teaming up with line dancers of chicago to take over epiphany for a night of line dancing that's equal parts lesson and party. the night opens with a beginner-friendly lesson from the pros at line dancers of chicago, so you'll have the moves down before the floor heats up. then it's country classics, modern hits, and line dance staples until close. come solo, bring your crew, or show up ready to make new friends on the dance floor. no partner needed. no experience necessary. boots encouraged, good vibes required.
ace and bass
North Avenue Beach
North Avenue Beach, Illinois 60614, USA
Welcome To Year Four Of Ace & Bass! Can you guys believe it?! What an amazing community that continues to grow and give back. This year we are changing it up a bit. We are only doing the tournament portion as 4v4 this year, marking our 4th year! Don't worry my lovely 2s players, there will still be open courts for pickup as always, and more will free up as the brackets develop. Please register ASAP for your spot in the tournament and remember, it's blind draw! We want to capture the essence of our Summer Saturdays by welcoming friends & teammates, new & old. It will be co-ed and you can select competitive or casual for level of play (it's not just skillset, it's the vibe you want for the day!). You'll get an email with all the details on rules, check in, prizes, etc. Shoutout to Miss Isabel for the brains & execution of the brackets! It's $5 to sign up as a player, and you get your $ back if you bring a communal gallon of water to check in. The whole event is free for everyone! Bring your friends, family, let's make it a day to remember. This year we will have 2 local DJs and a local band as always! We are combining forces and communities with Lets Do Fun Things and with that comes a lot of fun new side games. Food from local businesses, the return of everyone's favorite snow cone truck, giveaways and merch, and a few more little surprises for everyone! Please bring snacks, water, sunscreen, and shade even though we do our best to provide some for you all.
let's learn bachata
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn bachata: beginner series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week beginner bachata series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates saturday, september 12 saturday, september 19 thursday, september 24 (salsa before sunset, included for free) saturday, september 26 who it's for total beginners. no partner needed, no experience needed, no rhythm required (we'll get you there). if you've been curious about bachata but haven't had a reason to start, this is it. what to expect three progressive saturday sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each week, so by session three you know your partners, the basic step feels natural, and you can actually dance a song from start to finish. Andrew will cover the fundamentals: basic step, timing, connection, side-to-side, and your first turn patterns. included all three saturday classes plus admission to salsa before sunset on thursday, september 24, the rooftop social where you can practice what you learned with a live DJ, sunset, and a full floor of dancers. bachata gets played too. don't worry. the bigger idea most people never take a class because walking in alone feels awkward. we solve that: your host introduces you to the room, you're paired up from minute one, and by week two you're greeting people by name. that's the whole point.
analog night: pressed flower frames
The River Kitchen and Bar
2909 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60657, USA
we're putting our phones away for the night and getting crafty. stay in airplane mode while you arrange pre-pressed flowers into your own frame to take home. talk to the people around you and finally stay under your screen time limits for an evening. grab a seat, pick your blooms, and build something you'll want on your wall by the end of the night. limited spots! food or drink purchase at venue required.
game night: liar's night
Duffy's Tavern and Grille
420 W Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
liar's night is back. we're switching up game night. every game on the table will focus on social deduction, deception, bluffing, and reading the room. spend the night trying to catch someone else in a lie, or convincing the group you’re totally innocent (even when you’re definitely not). coming solo? we’ve got you covered. we’ll help match you with a group and walk everyone through the rules so you can jump right in and start playing. whether you’re a master manipulator or a terrible liar, this is a game night where everyone wins.
last call lectures: finder's keepers? museums, looted art, and debating their return
Chicago
Chicago, IL, USA
there is just one easy question to answer tonight: who owns history? join dr. caroline malloy to explore the controversies behind some of the most famous objects from some of the world's most famous museums. from the parthenon marbles to the benin bronzes, from native american spiritual objects to nazi-looted art, she'll challenge you to weigh whether artifacts should be repatriated and why. taking you through the histories of collecting in the 19th and 20th centuries, she'll ask you to consider what happens to museums if their collections disappear, and whether replication technology can offer a solution. dr. caroline malloy is a chicago-based historian and nonfiction book editor. after over a decade in academia, she traded the university classroom for the public stage and travels the world as a resident historian with viking ocean cruises. she teaches casually at newberry library. she works at the intersection of heritage, preservation, and national identity. here is how the night runs: dr. malloy opens with a 45 minute lecture, followed by 15 minutes of live q&a. then we break into small groups for 45 minutes of guided discussion, closing with a 15 minute debrief to bring it all back together. stick around after for mingling, this crowd always has more to say.
happy hour salsa: free w/ rsvp
The Old Post Office
433 W Van Buren St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
happy hour salsa at the old post office happy hour salsa is a relaxed after-work social designed to help you unwind, move your body, and do something fun without committing your whole night. we’ll start with a beginner-friendly salsa lesson from 5–5:45pm . no experience or partner needed. after the lesson, the space opens into an open social dance for anyone and everyone. the event is free to attend and hosted at the iconic Old Post Office , featuring beautiful flooring, soaring ceilings, a riverside patio, and food and drinks available from Snorkelbox . come solo, bring coworkers, or meet friends there.
1 mile radius: river north happy hour
Hubbard Inn
110 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654, USA
do you live in river north? no? you're not invited. we're bringing this series everywhere shortly, but we want you to make friends with people who live near by for the sitcom winter you deserve. for this one, you're all getting a free drink with your ticket :) also, we're going to be matching you all into groups of people around your age, gender balanced, and who are in similar stages of life as you. we'll have group games and challenges that'll help you all get to know each other and have some fun.
salsa before sunset
Castaways Beach Club
1603 N Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
salsa, the beach, and the best skyline view in the city. 21+ we're taking over castaways on north avenue beach for a night of salsa dancing right as the sun dips behind the city. the night opens with a beginner-friendly lesson, so whether you're a seasoned dancer or you've never moved to a beat in your life, you'll be on the floor in no time. then the dj takes over with the best of salsa, bachata, and latin hits while the sky lights up over lake michigan. come solo, bring your crew, or show up ready to meet someone new. no partner needed. no experience necessary. just bring an open mind and shoes you can spin in.
let's learn bachata
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn bachata: beginner series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week beginner bachata series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates saturday, september 12 saturday, september 19 thursday, september 24 (salsa before sunset, included for free) saturday, september 26 who it's for total beginners. no partner needed, no experience needed, no rhythm required (we'll get you there). if you've been curious about bachata but haven't had a reason to start, this is it. what to expect three progressive saturday sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each week, so by session three you know your partners, the basic step feels natural, and you can actually dance a song from start to finish. Andrew will cover the fundamentals: basic step, timing, connection, side-to-side, and your first turn patterns. included all three saturday classes plus admission to salsa before sunset on thursday, september 24, the rooftop social where you can practice what you learned with a live DJ, sunset, and a full floor of dancers. bachata gets played too. don't worry. the bigger idea most people never take a class because walking in alone feels awkward. we solve that: your host introduces you to the room, you're paired up from minute one, and by week two you're greeting people by name. that's the whole point.
red line scavenger hunt: app launch party
Apple Lincoln Park
801 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
do you want to explore the city in an interesting and engaging way with new friends? we're celebrating the launch of our app and matching you into groups of people around your age in similar stages of life for a scavenger hunt up and down the north side of the red line between grand and addison. you can also bring your own group of people (must have a minimum of 4 people). you will not be able to split your group, every challenge will require a photo with your whole group in the picture. 1st place prize is $500, 2nd place $250, and third place is $100 (if we have more than 200 people sign up, we'll double the above prizes) we'll meet in front of the apple store at north and clybourn. every group will receive a list of challenges / things to find with assigned point values. the group / team that gets the most points will win. afterwards, we'll all meet at a bar to announce winners, grab food, drinks and meet everyone who competed, and celebrate launching our app to help chicago get together. the scavenger hunt will be from 1-3, and you'll have to be at the bar by 3 for it to count. end bar location tbd, but will be off redline
sunset walk + watch party
Adler Planetarium Skyline Walk
517 E Solidarity Dr, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
we’re teaming up with Chicago Girls Who Walk and Chicago Gents Who Stroll for a sunset walk + watch party at chicago’s best sunset spot ☀️ bring a blanket, a camera, and be ready to make new friends. we’ll bring friendship bracelets and bubbles (because let’s be real, sometimes you just don’t know what to do with your hands) and the ultimate lake party playlist 🕺🏻 don’t do summer alone! keep an eye out here for exact walking route info!
game night
Duffy's Tavern and Grille
420 W Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
join us for game night every Monday at Duffy's! we've got a curated collection of fun easy-to-learn games that allow you to make friends over friendly competition coming solo? we've got you covered! we'll set you up with games and fun players to enjoy the night with. see you there!
last call lectures: risk, reward, repeat: the neuroscience behind why we gamble
Chicago
Chicago, IL, USA
our brains are there to keep us from making bad decisions, but when you light up its reward circuit, all it wants is to achieve that high again. good decision or not. and when your brain starts convince you the next pull is the one that pays off, it's hard to get it to stop. modern gambling is built around this principle, and this lecture is going to dive into the neuroscience that created the $70 billion annual industry. this week's presenter dr. viral mistry, a neuroscience educator at dominican university, has spent years studying how nervous systems learn, and is a passionate advocate of making neuroscience findings approachable to the public. why do near misses feel like almost-wins? why are some brains built to chase the risk while others walk away? and what, if anything, can we as the broader public do about it? dr. mistry will answer these questions and more on tuesday, september 29. here is how the night runs: our lecturer opens with a 45-minute talk, followed by 15-minutes of live q&a. then we break into small groups for 45-minutes of guided discussion with fellow readers, closing with a short debrief to bring it all back together. stick around after for mingling and connecting with others who are just as curious as you are.
let's learn salsa
We The People Fitness Studio
1229 N North Branch St #3/F, Chicago, IL 60642, USA
let's learn salsa: september series (+ salsa before sunset) a three-week salsa series with Andrew, Director of our Latin Dance Vertical, plus entry to Salsa Before Sunset on the rooftop. dates tuesday, september 8 tuesday, september 15 thursday, september 24 (Salsa Before Sunset, included) tuesday, september 29 who it's for anyone who wants to actually learn salsa instead of shuffling through it. no partner needed, no experience required. you'll start with the basics and build from there. what to expect three sessions built to compound week over week. same cohort each time, so by week two you know the room and by week three you're dancing with people you actually know. Andrew covers timing, the basic step, cross-body lead, turns, and the lead/follow connection that makes it feel like dancing instead of counting. included all three tuesday classes plus admission to Salsa Before Sunset on thursday, september 24, our rooftop social with a DJ, sunset, and a full floor. the social lands between weeks two and three, so you'll get to test what you've learned and still have a class left to sharpen it. showing up to a dance floor alone is hard. showing up to week two already knowing half the room is a different night entirely.
clover x ldft: pour decisions
Clover Wrigley
3714 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613, USA
think you can shake, stir, and garnish your way to glory? at pour decisions you'll learn how to make three different cocktails and choose two of your favorites to test (and drink) on your own. meet new people while you: • sample and learn how to craft cocktails while picking up tips from behind the bar • create your own custom drink during the interactive workshop • enjoy photo ops and a night full of unforgettable moments whether you’re an aspiring mixologist or just looking for a unique night out, this is your opportunity to put your cocktail creativity to the test.
