NEW Queer Men’s Speed Dating/Networking @ Hot Plate Brewing (Pittsfield) – Pittsfield, MA

HOW IT WORKS: In 15 fun, five-minute, 1on1 conversations, get to know your diverse queer neighbors, and choose who you want to date, befriend, be on a mentoring team with, &/or network with. By getting to know one another in person rather than swiping right endlessly, you can be seen as whole human being & practice building your intergenerational network &/or dating pool. You will get contact info for your matches at the end of each event.

EASY WAY TO FIND NEW FRIENDS, DATES, MENTORING TEAM MEMBERS, & NETWORKING CONNECTIONS: Join queer men (18 & up) from all over the region in this intergenerational speed dating event where you will spend five minutes getting to know a man and then decide whether you want to let him know at the end of the evening via a speedmatch app that you want to get to know him for: 1) networking, 2) dating, 3) mentoring, 4) friendship, 5) or no connection. You’ll repeat this process in brief interviews with as many of the men present as possible. After each conversation, you’ll mark your preferences on the app, and you’ll learn all your mutual matches by the end of the event & be able to email them or chat to schedule a followup meeting (if you want).

BETTER WAY TO MAKE EASY, REAL CONNECTIONS: The beauty of this process is you can learn about a lot of men quickly and then connect with them in ways you both are interested in but without the awkwardness of having to pretend you are interested, reject someone, or have no idea whether they are interested in you. Lots of introverts and kewl people think speed dating is lame or really awkward, but thousands of people have used this app and found it to be surprisingly easy, fun, and fostering of genuine connections. With a little practice most people find it much more fun and comfortable than going to a bar with a bunch of strangers or trying to meet people on hookup apps.

EVENT CO-HOSTS:

Tom Truss, is a locally famous Performan ce Artist, Actor, Dancer, Director, Choreographer, & Playwright, who also is a Certified Internal Family Systems Counselor and Certified Alexander Technique Instructor, who loves empowering people to acknowledge and harmonize with the many internal and external stories that make our lives work or a living hell, depending on how we harmonize and respect all the parts of our evolving story. He also just wants to find an interesting date.

Bart Church, is Q-MoB’s Executive Director, who also is a Certified Therapeutic Yoga Insructor, Wilderness First Responder, Zen Shiatsu Practitioner, and long-time educator about men’s wellness and community development. He belives that the key to real wealth is the depth and breadth of your network of people who know and love you, and he is passionate about helping queer men in the Berkshires to build and strengthen their networks. He also believes queer men are the natural wizards, healers, and bards that heal the broader community, and that when queer men are healthy they make their whole community healthy.

TIPS to Make Speed Dating both Fun & Effective

• Speed Dating Advice To Help You Have The Best Experience
• Speed Dating Tips

TIPS FOR SETTING UP SUCCESSFUL MENTOR/MENTEE RELATIONSHIPS

• Your Guide to Setting Up Successful Mentor-Mentee Relationships
• What Makes a Great Mentor?
• 10 Tips for Mentees

WHO THIS EVENT IS FOR: this event is for queer men, which can include gay, bisexual, pansexual, demisexual, asexual men, & transmen who are attracted to people on the male end of the gender spectrum, and non-binary individuals who sometimes present on the male end of the spectrum and who are attracted at least in part to people on the male end of the spectrum. We will not exclude anyone because of how they present their gender or sexual orientation, and this is an event for people who identify as queer men. Berkshire Pride hosts Speed Dating Events for the entire LGBTQ+ community, & we encourage you to support their events if you are looking for Speed Dating for the whole LGBTQ+ community.

WHAT TO BRING:

• Queer male friends 18 & up interested in networking & speed dating, BUT THEY MUST REGISTEER IN ADVANCE & SET UP THEIR PROFILE BEFORE THE EVENT.
• $15-$25 Tax Deductible Donation payable online or in cash or check made out to “Q-MoB Inc” to pay for the use of the speedmatchapp, the space, and to support Q-MoB’s more than 25 social, recreation/wellness, & arts/culture activities every month and resources and services for rural queer men in the parts of 8 counties in 4 states that make up the Greater Berkshire Region. IMPORTANT: If you don’t want to donate for every Q-MoB event you attend, you can instead become a monthly donor member for $25, $50, $75, $100 or more tax-deductible MONTHLY donation, and then you don’t have to donate at every Q-MoB event you attend.

CARPOOLING/RIDE-SHARE: Carpooling is a great way to get to know other men, save money on gas, and help to reduce your carbon footprint and save the planet. If you need a ride or are open to carpooling with men who live near you, please indicate that when you are registering, & our ride coordinator will try to match you with people nearby who are interested in carpooling or offering rides.

REACHING US DAY OF EVENT: If on the day of the event you have trouble finding us, will be a little late, or can’t make it, please call/text Bart at 503-734-6508 or Tom Truss at 415-342-9447