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If dating apps give you the ick, this event offers a new way for queer Kansas Citians to meet

"Where To Find Us," a dating event where friends pitch their single friends "Shark Tank" style, held its first event in November 2024. The next installment will be held at the Black Box January 23.
Courtesy of Tiffany Watts
"Where To Find Us," a dating event where friends pitch their single friends "Shark Tank" style, held its first event in November 2024. The next installment will be held at the Black Box on Jan. 23.

Apps like Tinder and Hinge have taken over the dating game, but not everyone is having luck. A new event, "Where To Find Us," aims to create an offline opportunity for Kansas City's queer community — by pitching single friends to a crowd of potential love interests.

Whatever happened to a good, old-fashioned meet cute?

Finding love has become synonymous with dating apps for many Kansas Citians. But Tiffany Watts and Lo Cowan have found that more and more, people don't want to connect online.

Their new event series, "Where To Find Us," offers a different way for Kansas City's LGBTQ+ community to meet and connect.

The premise? Enlist a friend to pitch you to a crowd and make the case why you'd be a great date — "Shark Tank" style. They'll even use a slideshow to make their point. Then, afterwards, you'll have time to meet and connect with potential love interests.

"When you hear somebody else talking about how amazing somebody is, you just kind of want to get to know them," Watts told KCUR's Up To Date. "You just want to kind of approach them after the event and say, 'Hey, you sound really cool. Can we exchange numbers?'"

The next "Where To Find Us" event will take place at Parlor (1707 Locust St.) on Jan. 23.

  • Tiffany Watts, co-creator
  • Lo Cowan, co-creator
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As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
In an era defined by the unprecedented, one thing remains certain: Kansas Citians’ passion for their hometown. As an Up To Date producer, I construct daily conversations to keep our city connected. My work analyzes big challenges and celebrates achievements to help you see your town in a new way. Email me at hallejackson@kcur.org.
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