Candid on the Road Recap: Catholic Speed Dating New York + Bring Us to Your City

New York, you did not disappoint.

On Wednesday, September 30, fifty Catholic singles filled the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral for the Manhattan stop of Candid on the Road. The very next night, we did it all over again at the Post Office Cafe in Babylon, Long Island. Two nights, two rooms full of Catholic singles, and the grand finale of our first tour. If you weren't there, here's what you missed.

Manhattan sold out (and then some)

We knew New York would show up. We didn't know it would show up like this. Manhattan sold out two weeks before and the waitlist kept growing right up until the doors opened. We had more demand than we were prepared for, which is the best kind of problem to have.

If you were one of the people refreshing the waitlist, we're sorry we couldn't fit you in. We heard you, and it's a big reason we're already planning what's next.

Inside Old St. Pat's

The night started with mingling, and then the timer started. Eight rounds of seven-minute conversations, two age groups, and a room that got louder and more relaxed with every round. Somewhere around round three, the nervous small talk turned into real conversation.

Before round one, the nerves were real. "I feel like I could puke," one attendee told us, before explaining she'd just moved back to New York after ten years away and saw the night as "a good chance to meet new people." By the end, the mood had completely flipped. One man told us he was walking away with "a lot of wins" and had "a lot of good things to say about this event."

One attendee, Isabella, summed it up on Instagram: "Lots of laughs, great conversations and many matches!"

Another attendee summed up the night better than we could: it was "nice to connect with new people, have some great conversations, and just see the Catholic community thriving." When the last timer went off, nobody was in a rush to leave, and the number one piece of feedback we got afterward was that people wanted even more time together.

Long Island, one night later

Long Island was one of the first places to invite Candid to host an in-person event and we ended on a high note. This final stop gave a lot of people who missed out on Manhattan a seat at the table.

Forty-six singles joined us at the Post Office Cafe on October 1 using the same format but in a new room with new faces, and the same "wait, it's over already?" feeling at the end.

Long Island had plenty to say, too. One attendee came all the way from Connecticut. Another told us, "I'm not going to meet anybody sitting on the couch," and pushed themselves to show up. One attendee said they were only "10% nervous," because "everyone's here with the same mindset," and knowing everyone shared the faith-centered part "takes a big weight off."

Afterward, one attendee told us they felt "really energized," and that "meeting so many different people, hearing how they get involved really inspired me." Another said they felt "fulfilled by my decision to get out of my comfort zone," adding, "you never know what's on the other side."

That's a wrap on tour one

Four cities and five nights: Dallas in August, two nights in Chicago in September, and Manhattan and Long Island to close it out.

We started this tour wanting to know if Catholic singles would show up for in-person speed dating in their own cities. The answer was a loud yes! When we asked attendees to describe speed dating in one word, we heard "exciting" and "unexpected."

Don't miss the next one

Our next in-person speed dating event is our biggest one yet! Join us in Columbus, Ohio on January 4, 2027 at the SEEK conference. You'll be in the largest speed dating event ever and you never know…it could lead to love like it did for Sophia and Guillermo.

Events like Manhattan don't stay open long, so the best way to get a seat is to hear about them first. Download the Candid app and follow @candid_dating on Instagram so you're the first to know when we announce new cities.

If you want Candid on the Road in your city or on your campus, fill out the Bring Candid to Your City form to get your city on our list. We're building a network of Candid Ambassadors to help bring in-person Catholic speed dating to more communities, and we'll reach out in the cities and campuses where we see the most interest.

If you don't want to wait for the tour to come to you, our virtual speed dating events run every month by age group and region, and you can join from anywhere. Download the Candid app to see what's coming up.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Candid on the Road? Candid on the Road is Candid's in-person speed dating series for single, practicing Catholics. In 2026 it visited Dallas, Chicago, Manhattan and Long Island.

How does an in-person Candid event work? You check in, mingle and then have a series of short one-on-one conversations with other Catholic singles in your age group. After the event, you tell us who you'd like to connect with in the app. If it's a mutual yes, it's a match.

Will Candid on the Road come to my city? We pick cities based on where our members are and where we see the most interest. Download the Candid app and follow us on Instagram to hear about new cities first. You can also fill out our Bring Candid to Your City form to tell us about your community and raise your hand to become a Candid Ambassador.

Can I try Candid if there's no in-person event near me? Yes. Candid hosts virtual speed dating events every month for Catholic singles in the US, Canada and Mexico, and you can join from your phone or computer.