Fredericton — After Sunday’s announcement that Zone 1 and Zone 3 would be returning to the less-restrictive yellow phase at midnight, one bar in Fredericton announced that they will be marking the occasion with a night of fun and romance.
“After weeks of hunkering down and fighting the good fight,” said Donny Dolan, owner of Dolan’s Pub, “people are ready to let loose again. Have a little fun. Meet new people.”
As for the activity, Dolan hit upon the idea of speed dating.
“The holidays are a lonely time,” he said, with a sad shrug. “The quarantine has only exacerbated the problem.”
Speed dating, for the uninitiated, is a matchmaking game that encourages eligible singles to interact and get to know each other in a short period of time.
“Well, we interview each participant, and try to match them with a group that share similar life experiences,” he explained. “So, for instance, we have groups of movie fans, music nuts, athletes, people 60 and over, those who struggle with weight loss, diabetics, people with sick parents. You know, people who have something in common.”
Already, there has been criticism online that hosting events such as these might lead to a quick return to the orange phase, or even the red phase.
“Oh my god, no,” said Dolan, an alarmed expression forming on his face. “We certainly don’t want to make things any worse. That’s why we’re insisting that all of the participants wear their masks when moving in between tables to meet with the next complete stranger.”