Board Game Speed Dating at Castle Island Brewing

Typically, when you land on Go in Monopoly you collect $200. But this time around, there is a lot more on the line than just owning all the properties on Pennsylvania Avenue. 

Now, the idea of “playing games” while dating has a whole new meaning. 

Castle Island Brewing is hosting Board Game Speed Dating events where you can let loose, be your true self and potentially meet someone, whether that be a partner or just a friend.

“Adults, we don’t have playdates anymore with new people,” General Manager Mel Galindo said. “This is a fun, new way of having a social, no pressure meetup for single people trying to find someone.” 

The event consists of three to four groups each with a different board game. After about 30 minutes, the groups switch, the games switch, but the competitive nature and fun remains. 

Being in the group setting allows for people to mingle and ask each other questions in a casual setting while eliminating that typical speed dating rush of having to spill your entire life story and secrets in three minutes. 

“Meeting anybody for the first time is always so awkward and to have an activity that you’re doing that is more than one-on-one allows those barriers to come down and allows people to be authentically who they are,” Galindo said. 

At the end of the event you tell the host who you thought you formed a connection with and if that person felt the same way, you will be matched. At that point, the host will give out your contact information (that you consented to giving) and you will be put in touch with your match.

Nobody likes being rejected or shot down, and this helps avoid those situations entirely. Think of it as like an in-person dating app. If you “swipe” on someone after playing Checkers with them but they don’t “swipe” you back, that person will never even know that you liked them and there is no embarrassment or walk of shame back to the board game. The host is the one who knows all…kind of like Mr. Monopoly. 

July 25 is for people in the age range of 21-32 and July 27 is for those in the age range of 27-39. Visit their event page to choose a day! 

So, which board game would you want to play on a first date?