This Valentine’s Day, there is no need to fret if you are single, because Rifflandia is putting on an event where 12 eligible singles will be presented to a crowd, hoping to find their perfect match.
The event is called ‘Lovelandia Presents: Match me if you can,’ and will see a dozen single Victorian ‘pitchees’ presented with love to the crowd in hopes that they can score a date.
“So we just selected 12 people to be pitched, so their friends will have to make a three to five minute PowerPoint presentation about how amazing they are to a room full of potential dates,” said Kayla Quan, a long-standing employee of Rifflandia and one of the coordinators for the event.
She added that the event is open to all and is meant to be ‘love-inclusive,’ meaning it will be inclusive for straight folks as well as the 2SLGBTQI+ community.
The pitches will be made by one or two of the pitchees’ closest friends who will share the interests of their single friend in a light-hearted and fun way.
“It’ll be, not like a full-on roast, but a light roast,” Quan laughed.
Not only is Quan an organizer, but she also happens to be one of the dozen pitchees to be presented to the crowd.
“I thought it was a great way to potentially meet someone, because I’ve been on the apps and I’m sure a lot of people can tell you that it’s very repetitive and there are a lot of dead conversations,” she said.
“I thought this would be a fun way to put myself out there and have my friends slightly roast me in front of everyone. I love banter and I love kind of being the butt of the joke—plus I want to hear the great things they have to say about me.”
She noted that she knows it can be a bit scary for people to put themselves out there in such a public way, but thought that if she could do it, maybe it would be a bit less intimidating.
Quan says that her perfect match would be someone who loves music, has good banter, is funny and can help her and her friends come in first on Pub Quiz nights at Whistle Buoy Brewing.
“Obviously my type isn’t working so honestly, I’m kind of open to anything,” she laughed.
To make it all low stakes and low pressure, at the end of each will be a QR code where any singles in the crowd will have the opportunity to enter their name, a bit about themselves, their Instagram handle as well as what stood out the most to them about that pitchee.
That way the power is put into the pitchees’ hands, whether or not they actually want to organize a date with the prospect who messaged them.
Once all the presentations are over there will be an hour to mingle and give people the chance to speak with the pitchees if they want to.
“We’re not matchmakers, we are more so giving the power to the pitchee to choose who they want to talk to,” Quan explained.
Additionally, there are a myriad of prizes and gift cards to be given away at the event that could give others in the crowd the opportunity to take their sweetie on the perfect date to the Bug Zoo, the Royal BC Museum, or just on a downtown date to a coffee shop, restaurant or brewery.
The pitches will be divided up into three groups of four with prize giveaways and games in between, as well as having DJ Boitano playing music throughout the night.
Quan says all 12 pitchees have already been selected and tickets for prospective singles are selling fast.
This is a 19+ event and will not be open to minors.
Lovelandia Presents: Match me if you can
- Where: Rifflandia Showroom at 2500 Rock Bay Avenue
- When: Friday, February 14th, doors at 7 p.m. and pitches start at 7:30 p.m.
- Tickets: $30 per ticket, available online
