Connecting Through Communal Wellbeing

Research suggests that participating in group wellness and fitness experiences can accelerate social connection. From inclusive racquet sports clubs to social sauna sessions, there’s a global uptick in spaces that reimagine individual health and care routines as community-boosting rituals.

Bonding Over Interests & Hobbies

Interest-based clubs are proliferating as places for people to participate in the creative, communal activities we feature in The Happy Hobby Boom. Whether hip literature readings or conversational chess games, such events brilliantly stimulate connection. In fact, 84% of American Gen Zers and millennials who have attended such ‘interest-based’ gatherings have developed close friendships as a result (Eventbrite, 2025).

The Citizen-Led Gathering Place

Increasingly, people are seeking analogue experiences that offer deep human connection. This is stimulating interest in third places – informal social spaces like pubs, cafes and even libraries. However, as traditional iterations of these spaces disappear, consumers are pioneering their own environments that facilitate meaningful real-world contact and build stronger communities through intentional engagement.

Digital Tools Meet Physical Spaces

As digital fatigue and scepticism about social media’s sociability grow, smart companies are redefining their online presence – using digital platforms to facilitate offline engagement in what US-based event listing platform Eventbrite calls fourth spaces. From next-gen event aggregators to newsletters playing friendship matchmaker, brands are helping consumers convert their virtual lives into real-world connections.