Come Alone by Meet & Mint Events you can go to on your own

Not a date · Chicago

Meet people in Chicago without a dating app.

Meeting people does not have to be a profile. In Chicago we list 68 upcoming events built around an activity, so conversation starts with the activity.

See this week's picks How to go alone

Picks

Tonight and this week in Chicago nobody on a date

Six upcoming events, soonest first, free ones preferred and a mix of categories. Check the official page before you go.

Wed21Oct
Free
SocialChicago
17:00–19:00

Adult board game night at Greater Grand Crossing library, Chicago

Chicago Public Library – Greater Grand Crossing

The Greater Grand Crossing branch on the South Side opens its doors for a relaxed evening of board games: play the classics, learn something new and connect with others in a welcoming space. All experience levels are welcome, snacks are provided and you can bring a favourite game or use one of the library's. It is free with no registration, so you can simply walk in on your own and join a table. «Adult Game Night» Starts 17:00, ends about 19:00. Source: Chicago Public Library events.

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint
Wed21Oct
Free
SocialChicago
18:30–19:30

Weird Book Club at Midwest Coast Brewing: «The Icepick Surgeon»

Midwest Coast Brewing Company (Chicago Public Library off-site)

On the third Wednesday of each month the Manning branch takes its Weird Book Club to the Midwest Coast Brewing taproom to talk about strange and speculative fiction and non-fiction. This month's pick is «The Icepick Surgeon» by Sam Kean, about scientists whose obsession turned sinister, and you are welcome even if you have not finished the book. It is a free library programme with a small free RSVP, and a taproom table full of curious readers is easy to join alone. «Weird Book Club at Midwest Coast Brewing: The Icepick Surgeon» Starts 18:30, ends about 19:30. Source: Chicago Public Library events.

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint
Thu22Oct
Free
SocialChicago
19:00–20:00

Trivia night with Back of the Yards library at The Plant, Chicago

The Plant (Back of the Yards Branch off-site)

The Back of the Yards branch hosts a trivia night at The Plant, the former meatpacking building turned sustainable food hub on the Southwest Side. Questions cover surprise categories, teams can be anything from one to four people, and the top three teams win bragging rights and library swag. It is free for adults with a quick RSVP, and solo players are explicitly welcome. «Trivia Night with Back of the Yards» Starts 19:00, ends about 20:00. Source: Chicago Public Library events.

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint
Wed28Oct
Free
LearningChicago
18:00–19:00

Book talk on Shirley Jackson’s gothic classic, Rogers Park, Chicago

Chicago Public Library – Rogers Park (Community Room, 2nd floor)

Just before Halloween, the Rogers Park branch on the far North Side discusses Shirley Jackson's deliciously unsettling gothic classic about Merricat, her isolated family and their dark secret. The discussion is for adults, free and needs no registration. A seasonal book chat like this is an easy way to meet neighbours who love a good shiver. «Adult Book Discussion: We Have Always Lived In The Castle» Starts 18:00, ends about 19:00. Source: Chicago Public Library events.

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint
Fri30Oct
Free
CultureChicago
14:30–16:00

Halloween screening of the thriller Primate, Mayfair library, Chicago

Chicago Public Library – Mayfair

The Mayfair branch on West Lawrence Avenue, on Chicago's Northwest Side, marks Halloween with a free afternoon screening of Primate (2026), in which a group of friends' tropical holiday turns into a primal tale of horror and survival. Rated R, 89 minutes, for adults, with English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. Part of the library's Community Cinema series; just come along. «Film Screening: Primate (2026)» Starts 14:30, ends about 16:00. Source: Chicago Public Library events.

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint
Sat31Oct
Free
CultureChicago
14:00–16:00

Halloween afternoon screening of Scream VI, North Austin library

Chicago Public Library – North Austin

On Halloween afternoon the North Austin branch on West North Avenue, on Chicago's West Side, screens Scream VI (2023), in which the Ghostface killer leaves Woodsboro behind for New York City and a group of familiar survivors tries to end his reign of terror for good. Rated R, 122 minutes, for adults, with English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. Free, no registration. «Film Screening: Scream VI (2023)» Starts 14:00, ends about 16:00. Source: Chicago Public Library events.

Official page ↗See who's going in Meet & Mint

Formats

Where you talk without pressure

These formats give you a task or a topic, so you never have to open with small talk. Pages for Chicago:

How to go alone

Five steps for your first time

  1. Start with one hosted event; "Adult board game night at Greater Grand Crossing library, Chicago" fits.
  2. Check the details on the official page, since schedules and prices change.
  3. Be early. Say to the host that you are new; introducing newcomers is part of their job.
  4. Keep one simple question ready ("Have you been before?") and commit to staying for an hour before you judge it.
  5. Go a second time. Familiar faces turn a first outing into a routine. In Meet & Mint you can see who else is going.

Alternatives to dating apps

What actually works, compared

A neutral comparison of five ways to meet people through shared activities. None needs a profile; the last column shows what we list for Chicago.

FormatWhy conversation startsWorks well if youTypical costCommitmentIn Chicago now
Dinners with strangersA shared table and a host who seats youLike longer one-to-one conversationThe price of a mealOne evening, often booked aheadnone in our data yet
Run clubsYou move at the same pace and talk on the movePrefer doing something active to small talkOften free or low costWeekly; talking is optionalnone in our data yet
Language cafésEveryone is practising, so starting a chat is expectedWant a ready-made reason to talkFree or the cost of a coffeeDrop-in7 listed
Game nightsThe game provides the topic and something to doEnjoy light competition or puzzlesFree or a small table feeDrop-in, two to three hours25 listed
VolunteeringA shared task and a teamWant to meet people with similar valuesFreeRegular shifts matter more than one visitnone in our data yet

Questions people ask

What is a good way to make friends in Chicago that is not an app?

Join something recurring with a host and a task: a language café, a game night, a walk or a class. For Chicago we currently list 68 events, for example "Adult board game night at Greater Grand Crossing library, Chicago" and "Weird Book Club at Midwest Coast Brewing: «The Icepick Surgeon»".

Will I be the only one on my own at events in Chicago?

Not at all. At hosted events many people come alone, which is why the formats work. Arrive early, mention to the host that you are new, and you will be placed at a table or in a group.

Are these dating events in Chicago?

They are group activities, not dating events. You go for the activity and the company; any romance is a side effect we cannot promise.

Are there free things to do alone in Chicago?

Everything we currently list for Chicago is free: all 68 upcoming events (17 of them within 30 days). Check the official page for any booking requirement.

What if I'm shy or new to Chicago?

Choose a format with a task: a game, a class, a walk. You can talk about the task, and silence is fine. Stay for an hour, then decide. Meet & Mint lets you see who is going and say hello in the group chat first.

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How it works

Meet & Mint in Chicago: how it works

  1. Find an event on Come Alone or in the Meet & Mint map and open the official page for the details.
  2. Join alone in the app: you see how many people are going and can read the group chat.
  3. Say hello before in the chat, so the first minutes at the venue are with names you know.
  4. Meet at the event and decide afterwards whether to go again. Nobody is on a date.

Meet & Mint

See who's going, then go together

Meet & Mint shows events and people near you on one map. Join an event alone, chat with the group, meet at the event. Free on iPhone and Android.

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