Eventbrite’s 2026 Social Study found that many of those surveyed “wish events felt less curated and more real”, indicated that “it’s important that events feel spontaneous or unpredictable”, said that “socializing is ‘somewhat important’ but prefer when it’s not the main focus” and hope for “more ways to participate actively, not just watch, at future events” (Photo: Getty)
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It used to be that when you mentioned IRL, the thought was that you referring to the International Racing League, Injured Reserve List or maybe even Ireland. But nowadays IRL is being used more and more as short for “in real life.” For example, an event or activity that’s IRL is one that takes place in person rather than virtually—as in one that’s not online. And the increasing usage of IRL may represent a growing desire among people to connect with each other in more real and authentic ways, as evidenced by what Eventbrite’s 2026 Social Study found.
Eventbrite Survey Showed Interest in More IRL Events And Activities
Eventbrite summarized its study findings in a report entitled Reset to Real. That title was really a give away as to what the study found. The study was a survey of 4,051 individuals (2,028 respondents from the US and 2,023 from the UK) whose ages spanned from 18 to 35 years and was conducted from July 11 through July 16, 2025. The survey asked questions about what kind of events and activities people would prefer. Of note, the results weren’t published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, so take them with about 4,501 grains of salt.
Nevertheless, you could say that the results were “real”-ly “interest”-ing. They essentially said that many people were interested in more IRL events that were also more authentic events. Here are some highlights of the result:
- 49% of respondents indicating that they “wish events felt less curated and more real”
- 58% wanting “events to feel one-of-a-kind —like they could only happen once.”
- Over half saying that they “trust people, not platforms, for recommendations” of events
- 79% indicating that “it’s important that events feel spontaneous or unpredictable.”
- 58% saying “socializing is ‘somewhat important’ but prefer when it’s not the main focus”
- A third hoping for “more ways to participate actively, not just watch, at future events”
- 50% indicated that they are “more likely to attend a cause-based event because it gives them a reason to show up beyond fun or escapism”
- 89% saying “it’s important that an event helps them feel connected to their local community”
- 59% saying they “want to attend more events that combine different worlds or interests.”
The IRL Trend Could Be A Result Of The Loneliness Epidemic
Now, up until the mid-1990s when people talked about meeting up, there probably wasn’t quite the need to clarify whether it would be IRL or not—unless, of course, you had been taking some mind-altering substances. Most get-together activities back then were by default “in real life.” However, the growth of social media since the mid-1990s and the pervasive smartphone that began around 2010 changed all that. Over the past decade, meeting in URL—or in unreal life—has become a lot more commonplace for seemingly everything whether it’s for work, social activities or dating.
Meanwhile, the loneliness epidemic has kept getting worse and worse. And before you blame the COVID-19 pandemic for this epidemic, keep in mind that I was already writing about the loneliness epidemic in Forbes back in 2018 well before anyone had even heard of COVID-19. The U.K. had already established a Minister of Loneliness position that year too. In fact, social disconnectedness in the U.S., U.K. and a number of other countries seems to have been steadily growing over the past two to three decades.
Meeting and interacting online, while seemingly easier and more convenient, cannot replicate all the benefits of meeting in person. When you meet someone in person, you can share a lot more information with each other. In addition to what each of you is saying, you can also exchange your body language and everything else that can come from and out of your body. Sure, there may be farts. But there are also things like physical presence and contact. And as a systematic review published in the scientific journal Nature Human Behavior in 2024 showed, a number of studies have found that physical touch itself can bring many physical and mental health benefits.
The IRL Trend Could Be A Backlash Against Social Media And App Culture
Plus, there’s the increasing problem of “digital fatigue” or “digital tool fatigue.” Staring at screens all day can be tiring not only for your eyes but also for that thing attached to your eyes, namely your brain. It can be tiring for the rest of your body as well, since being locked in on what’s on a screen can lock you in certain postures for way too long. So in person events can provide opportunities to refresh and recharge—meaning refresh and recharge you and not your smartphone.
Moreover, a common theme in the Eventbrite survey results was the “A” word. No, not that “A” word. The “A” word here is “authentic.” Authentic is a further extension of being real. As I mentioned in my recent Forbes article about the White Rabbit trend on TikTok, a lot of things on social media are kind of the opposite of authentic. Such online stuff is often heavily curated by people to present unreal images of themselves and sell you stuff—including sell you themselves. A lot of things these days can feel staged, sort of like the Super Bowl halftime show.
And real connection is not possible when at least one side is not being real. You either end up connecting with an image that’s different from the real person or putting up a false front yourself. In fact, some of the deepest connections in life can arise unexpectedly with unexpected people in unexpected situations. Don’t underestimate the value of spontaneity and serendipity.
So, don’t be surprised to feel the need to go IRL. And in this case IRL doesn’t stand for Ireland, unless, of course, that’s where you really want to go in real life.
