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General questions
For any city
Not about one place. Check the official page of any event before you go: schedules and prices change.
What Come Alone is
What is Come Alone?
Come Alone is a list of events you can go to on your own: talks, walks, language cafés, concerts and workshops.
It is made by Meet & Mint. Every event is picked because it is easy to join when you arrive by yourself. Browse tonight and this week, or pick your city, then see who else is going in the Meet & Mint app.
Is Come Alone free to use?
Yes, browsing the list is free, and most events on it are free or low-cost.
Some events have an entry fee or a cost for materials, so check the price on the event’s official page before you go. The Meet & Mint app is free to download on iPhone and Android; Premium is an optional subscription.
Who makes Come Alone, and do you run the events?
Come Alone is made by Meet & Mint. We list events; we do not organise them.
Each listing links to the organiser’s own page, which is where the date, time and place come from.
Where does the event data come from?
From official or public sources: city and regional open-data agendas, official city calendars, public-library programmes and organisers’ own pages.
We keep events that have a real start time and a link to the organiser’s page, and we summarise them in our own words. Details can change after we publish, so check the official page before you go. See the sources page for the method.
Getting started
How do I find something to do tonight?
Open Come Alone, choose “Tonight” or pick your city, and click through to the event you like.
Many events are also in the Meet & Mint app, where you can see who is going and say hello in the event chat before you arrive.
I have never gone out on my own before. Where do I start?
Start small, and pick something that repeats.
A weekly language café, a game night or a walking group means you see the same faces again, which makes the second visit easier than the first. Choose a free or low-cost one close to you, with an activity to look at and talk about, and decide in advance how long you will stay.
What do I do when I get there and I do not know anyone?
Let the activity carry the evening: a game, a walk, a talk or a workshop gives you something to focus on and something to say.
You can say hello to the host and mention that you are new. You do not have to entertain the room, and a single short conversation is a good first night. If you chatted in the app first, you will already know a name.
Money
Do I have to spend money to meet people?
No. Most events on Come Alone are free or low-cost.
Some have an entry fee, and drinks or food are usually paid for separately, so decide your budget before you go. In the Meet & Mint app you can filter by price.
How do I know what an event costs?
Check the event’s official page, which the listing links to.
Prices and booking rules are set by the organiser and can change, so confirm them there. Free events can still ask for a donation or expect you to buy a drink at the venue.
What is a cheap way to go out regularly?
Pick one recurring, free or low-cost event and go back to it.
Going to the same thing each week costs less than a different paid night out every time, and you start to recognise people, which takes the edge off the nerves.
Safety
Is it safe to go to these events on my own?
The events are public and open to everyone, but no list can guarantee safety, so use the same common sense you would use anywhere.
Tell someone where you are going, share your live location with a friend you trust, and plan your own way home so you do not depend on anyone else. Choose events in public venues and in daylight or early evening if you are unsure.
What if I do not feel comfortable with someone there?
Leave. You never owe anyone your time.
Move to another group, step outside, call a friend, or tell the host or venue staff. In the Meet & Mint app you choose who can see you and whether to show your exact location.
Meeting people
Is it awkward to meet new people at these events?
A little at first, and that usually fades once there is something to do.
Events with a structure, such as games, workshops and walks, give everyone a shared task, so you do not have to carry the conversation. You only need to say the first hello.
How do I turn meeting someone into a friendship?
Go again. Friendship usually builds through repeated contact.
Find an event that recurs, such as a game night, a run club or a language café, and return to it. Swapping contact details or staying in the event chat makes the next meeting easier to arrange.
What if I am shy and hate small talk?
Choose events built around an activity, such as a workshop, a walk, a board game or a book club.
Then the activity does much of the talking. Decide how long you will stay beforehand; knowing you can leave takes pressure off. Asking one person one question is a fine goal for the night.
Can I meet a partner this way?
Some people might, but these events are built for meeting people in general, not for dating.
Going in to make friends tends to be less pressured. If you want to meet people without a dating app, see Not a date.
Going out solo
Is it weird to do things alone in the evening?
No. Going to a talk, a concert, a café or a walk on your own is an ordinary thing to do.
At an event made for people arriving alone, you are not the odd one out. Pubs, bars and tastings are fine places to start if you are 18 or over.
What makes a good first night out alone?
Something you can leave whenever you like, with a clear way home.
Look for an event with an activity, at a quiet time of the day or week if crowds make you tense, in a venue you have checked on the official page the same day.
Being new in town
I do not speak the local language well. Can I still go?
Yes. Language cafés are made for people who are practising, and mistakes are expected.
Many other events, such as walks, concerts and game nights, need little spoken language. The new in town section has practical guides for people who have just arrived.
I just moved here and know nobody. What is the fastest way to a small circle?
Join something that meets regularly and go more than once.
A weekly game night, language exchange, run club or walking group puts you with the same people each time. Start with events close to where you live so that going is easy to repeat.
The app and practicalities
What is the Meet & Mint app, and do I need it?
Meet & Mint: Events & Friends shows events and people near you on one map, with a chat for every event.
You do not need it to browse Come Alone or to use the listings, but it lets you see who is going and say hello before you arrive. It is free to download on iPhone and Android. See the app page.
Do I need to book, what should I bring, and can I bring a friend?
Check the event’s page: it says whether booking is needed, and small or popular events often need it.
Bring yourself, a little cash or a card for any entry fee or drink, and comfortable shoes if you will be walking. Bringing a friend is allowed unless the organiser says otherwise, though you will probably meet more people on your own. If you booked and cannot come, cancel early so someone else can have your place.
Why go alone
Why go out alone instead of with friends?
Because friends are not always free, and because you may be new and not have any yet.
Going alone also means you decide when to arrive and when to leave, and it puts you in a position to talk to new people. Going solo is not a sign that something is wrong; it is just a way to get out of the house.
Guides
Seasonal answers
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.