By Elvin Yavuz on June 24, 2010

Feature photo by Joe Marinaro

Singles in Chicago (and around the country) often find themselves asking the question, “Where can I go to meet someone?” Happily paired off couples may tell you that love just happens when you least expect it and that you shouldn’t search for it. Sure, there might be truth to their advice but you aren’t going to meet Mr. or Ms. Right sitting at home and watching bad reality TV. Love may happen unexpectedly but at least do yourself a favor and put yourself in places where happy accidents are more likely to happen.

Beach volleyball
For many people in their 20s and 30s, the heart of Chicago summers is beach volleyball. Almost all the beaches along the lakefront host intramural leagues during week nights. You can join a team through Chicago Sports and Social and Player Sports. Don’t have a team?  No problem! Both leagues can place individual players on teams that still need players. Haven’t played volleyball since your junior high days and you want to brush up on your skills before joining a team? You can sign up for skills and drills clinics through Player Sports. The classes are taught by professional volleyball players through EVP Tour. Not only is it a great opportunity to perfect your bump, set, spike but it’s also the perfect casual setting to meet someone. And here is the good news- the clinics are eight weeks, so it gives you plenty of time to get to know someone and flirt shamelessly as you work up the nerve to ask them out.

S3 (Singles Softball Sundays)
It’s time to stop sleeping until noon on Sundays and get your butt out of bed! The best part about S3 is you can join by yourself or with a couple of friends. The organization puts you on a team of members who are all single and want to meet new people. After the game, all the teams in the league go to a sponsored bar for food and drinks. Members say there are plenty of opportunities to meet people and pair off but they also note that the league is a great way for making new friends.

First Fridays
River North, Michigan Avenue and West Loop neighborhoods all boast thriving art scenes with a number of renowned galleries. Most of these galleries and museums participate in First Fridays, a cocktail party event held the first Friday of every month. They usually feature an up and coming artist, provide appetizers, drinks and music. Great art usually adorns the walls but the most popular art during First Fridays is the mobs of single people walking around in style with a cocktail in hand, a flirty smile and a desire to meet someone. Worried that you don’t speak art? No worries, most of the people who attend these events don’t either. The Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art hosts one of the largest First Fridays parties.  Pilsen neighborhood also hosts 2nd Fridays Art Walk, which (you guessed it) is the second Friday of every month.

Chicago Summer Dance At Grant Park
Thanks to the City of Chicago, residents no longer have an excuse for having cold feet on the dance floor! From now until August 29th, Grant Park turns into a dance club every Thursday through Sunday. Each night kicks off with a complimentary one-hour dance lesson by professional dance instructors and then is followed by two hours of dance to various dance styles from salsa, cha-cha, waltz and swing. Who can resist the great music, outdoors and thousands of people who are ready and wanting to kick back on the dance floor?

Cafes
Yes, yes, it sounds clichés, but people do meet in cafes! Dreading the fact you had to drag work home for the weekend? Or you have a test to study for? Take it with you to one of the local cafes that boast free internet, good coffee and great people watching. Sit at one of the communal tables. You never know who is going to end up sitting across from you. You can strike up a conversation by asking them to watch your stuff while you go to the bathroom, if their internet is working okay (even though you know it is), or what they are reading.

Online
New Match.com ads say that 1 in 5 relationships now happen online. Why not give it a whirl?  There are now new free dating sites like okcupid you can easily try without having to hand over a $40 monthly fee. Keep in mind that online dating is just like dating off-line: you may have to go through lots of people to discover the gems. Think of online dating as your dating insurance policy; you know that if you need it, it’s there and easy to get dates. If you really want it.