In 50 years or so, quite a few Gen Zers are going to be telling their grandkids that they met while birdwatching.
At least, that’s according to the latest study from the events marketplace Eventbrite. The platform’s research found that Gen Zers are increasingly looking to find love IRL, and they’re doing it at the kinds of hobby-based events that might’ve once been the purview of older generations.
“For a long time, people kept dating in one box and hobbies in another,” Andrea Parodi, Eventbrite’s general manager, said in a press release. “What we’re seeing is that line starting to dissolve. People are starting with what they already love, or exploring a totally new pastime, and staying open to whatever it turns into.”
For Gen Z, that means even the most niche of crafty gatherings are turning into a place to potentially find love.
Birds of a feather
Eventbrite’s new study compares data from the platform between January and June 2025 and the same period in 2026. Events were only included if they signaled specific meeting intent, meaning the title or description included language like “meet new people,” “singles,” or “mixer,” and the results were striking.
Per the analysis, trivia night events are up 403% year-over-year, with hot spots in Chicago, Boston, and Raleigh. Mahjong gatherings have spiked by 235%, plant swaps and terrarium workshops are up 117%, and pilates socials are up 84%. Birdwatching meetups are also a hot-ticket item, with events up 131% and attendance up 82%.
“When everyone’s using the same apps and streaming the same shows, hyperspecific hobbies are how people stand out,” Eventbrite’s analysis of the data reads. “Showing up to a trivia night or a birdwatching walk filters for curiosity and a sense of humor before a single word of small talk happens.”
An analog kind of love
The rise of hobby-based romance tracks alongside a few different trends among Gen Zers.
It’s long been common knowledge that Gen Z is burned out from dating apps. According to mobile app analytics company AppsFlyer, 65% of dating apps downloaded in 2024 were deleted within a month. Last November, the company told Fast Company that number had climbed to 69%. In a March 2025 study by the men’s healthcare brand Hims, 77% of Gen Zers reported meeting their partner in person.
The dating app fatigue has led to young singles seeking out a partner in a variety of creative ways, including by joining a run club, sending covert signals in grocery stores, and stealing Sweetgreen salads to facilitate an “accidental” meet-cute.
Meanwhile, the desire for digital detox among many young people is leading to a rise in analog hobby culture. “Grannycore” hobbies include knitting, gardening, scrapbooking, and sewing—anything that requires stepping away from a screen and doing something with your hands.
Now, online dating fatigue and grandma hobbies are converging to spawn the 2026 meet-cute. Watch out, Tinder: the park, pub quiz, and bingo night are about to steal your clientele.
