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Slide Decks Replace Matchmaking Parents at Shanghai Qixi Event
On China's Valentine's Day, a Shanghai gathering asks friends to pitch each other to a crowd of singles, giving the city's marriage market a Gen Z upgrade.
An evening of high-school-level excitement and awkwardness is planned at the neighborhood spot junto, where a 'Date My Mate' event will invite participants to take the stage on behalf of a single friend. Each speaker gets five minutes to make the case, complete with bullet points, evidence and, ideally, an unflattering throwback photo.
The gathering is scheduled for Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day. Organizers describe it as a modern spin on Shanghai's traditional marriage market, where older residents once gathered in public to exchange information about their unmarried children.
The format swaps parental negotiations for friend-to-friend promotion, with drink and merchandise giveaways running all night. Whether attending as a presenter, as a subject of a pitch, or as a spectator, guests are offered an alternative to swiping through dating apps.
The venue was chosen not only for its drinks, but for its community feel, according to event details. The night is intended to bring a lighthearted, updated take to a familiar cultural tradition.