Seventy-nine percent of 18- to 35-year-olds say they plan to attend more in-person events in 2026 than they did last year, according to Eventbrite’s first-ever Social Study Report, released in January. The company surveyed young adults across the country and found people are tired of algorithm-picked nightlife and want gatherings that feel unscripted again, a shift Eventbrite is calling the “reset to real.”
Eighty-nine percent of respondents said they want events that actually connect them to their community rather than just another ticketed show, and 49% said they specifically want experiences that feel less curated and more genuine, per the report. Seventy-nine percent also said they now value spontaneity over perfectly planned outings, even as 51% admitted they still need detailed logistics to feel comfortable showing up.
“The way we gather is changing, more deeply than anyone expected,” Eventbrite co-founder and CEO Julia Hartz said in the company’s announcement. “After years online, the most social generation in history is redefining what it means to be truly present.”
- 79% of 18-35-year-olds plan to attend more events in 2026, per Eventbrite’s Social Study Report
- 89% want events that connect them to their local community
- 49% want gatherings that feel less curated and more real
- 25% of 18-29-year-olds report feeling lonely, while 54% say they feel close to their local community
- 69% rely on word-of-mouth, not algorithms, to find things to do
The data lines up with a broader shift already showing up in how young adults spend their free time. A Forbes analysis published in August found that Friday and Saturday evening fitness class reservations more than doubled between 2023 and 2025, with 53% of 18- to 34-year-olds saying they chose a workout over nightlife in the past year.
Eventbrite’s report also found that affordability still matters even as people crave more genuine experiences: 55% of respondents said cost is a top priority when deciding what to attend, and 36% said they actively enjoy hunting for under-the-radar, hidden-gem events.
Taken together, the numbers describe a generation that isn’t opting out of socializing, just opting out of the version that felt performative. What’s replacing it, according to Eventbrite’s own data, is smaller, community-rooted, word-of-mouth gathering that people choose because they actually want to be there.
That preference for word-of-mouth over algorithm-fed suggestions also shapes what kinds of events actually benefit from the shift. A recurring trivia night at a neighborhood bar, a local run club, or a small pop-up market doesn’t need viral reach to fill a room if the people who show up keep telling their friends, and Eventbrite’s data suggests that’s precisely the kind of gathering young adults are gravitating toward as the default social night out.
