Before you come
Questions? We love them.
The things people actually wonder before walking into the room.
I'm coming alone. Will that be awkward?
Plenty of people will arrive on their own — that's part of the design. If you opt in, we'll suggest a few people to meet before or at the Fair, so you don't walk into a room of strangers. And every activity gives you something to do together, so you never have to open with "so, what do you do?"
Is this networking, or a dating event?
Neither. Nobody is pitching, and nobody is being matched romantically. The Fair is about meeting people you'd genuinely like to see again — as friends, collaborators, or the kind of person you're glad to know.
What will I actually do there?
Pick how you like to connect: dance, make bouquets, solve a real problem, play games, swap books, recipes and songs, or just settle into a sofa and talk. The activities are excuses to meet. You can try several, or stay where it's good.
I'm more of an introvert. Is this for me?
Yes. The room is built so no single personality type wins it. There are hands-busy activities, quiet corners, and structured conversations — you choose your pace, and you can step out whenever you like.
What's the Connection Profile, and do I need one?
It's a short, private questionnaire about how you like to connect. It helps us suggest people you might click with. Your raw answers stay private — the Fair only ever sees your Research ID. It's optional, but it makes your suggestions much better.
What happens after the evening?
The evening is a beginning, not the outcome. Community partners host "second meetings" — places and groups where you can see each other again. We'll also check in a few times afterwards (at about 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months) to learn what actually continued.
Why is there research involved?
Friendship Fair is part of UPWARD's research into how adults find their people. We want to know what predicts real resonance and continuation — not just meeting. Taking part in follow-ups is optional, and what you share is handled privately.
Why do tickets have different prices?
Five prices, one shared experience. Sponsor and Supporter tickets unlock additional Community and Discounted tickets so more people can come. Nobody else ever sees what you paid — not on your badge, your profile, or in your matches.
What if I can't make it after all?
You can pass your ticket to a friend, or donate it so somebody else gets your place. Find your ticket any time from "Find my ticket" in the menu.
I'm buying a Sponsor or Supporter ticket. Can I choose who gets the place it unlocks?
Yes. By default, the place you unlock goes to the next person on our waiting list — nothing more to do. At checkout you can instead choose "Save it for someone I know". You'll get a private link to send them (or we can email it), and they buy their own ticket at the lower price. They have 7 days to take it, or until 19 November if that comes first; from 19 November the window is 48 hours. In the last two days before the Fair, unlocked places go straight to the waiting list. If a saved place isn't taken in time, it passes to the waiting list automatically, so it never goes to waste.
I have a discount code. How does it work?
Add your tickets on the Tickets page, then enter your code under "Have a discount code?" before you pay. You'll see the saving straight away.
Each code says which tickets it works on and when it expires. One code per order, and codes can't be combined with other offers or used on Community or Discounted tickets.
What am I actually paying for — and how does the research fit in?
Your ticket is admission to a carefully designed, in-person social evening in Helsinki on 26 November 2026 — the venue, the hospitality, the materials, the facilitation, the room itself.
The wider UPWARD research into how adults find each other and form friendships is separate, and free to take part in at connection.workupward.com — whether or not you ever attend the Fair.
The event is funded directly by ticket sales and community partners. What you're paying for is the experience we're carefully creating for you.
I bought tickets. What happens next?
You'll get an email with a link to your private order page. From there, decide who each ticket is for:
Keep one for yourself — tap "This one's mine" and you'll be guided through a short Connection Profile, which links straight to your ticket.
Give one to someone — send them their own invite link, and they register in their own name.
Donate one — if plans change, give it back and it reopens as a Community ticket for someone else.
Bought a Sponsor or Supporter ticket? It also unlocks a Community or Discounted ticket. You can save it for someone you know with a private link, or let it go to the next person on the waiting list.
Once a ticket is registered, its holder gets an Attendee Pass with everything they need for the evening.