Hey everyone!

I've (34M) been working on getting my social life back on track and decided to sign up for events like this once a month or so in and around Dublin, to meet new people and make connections. (So not just about romance and the likes, but also overall expanding my social circle.)

I work a pretty solitary remote job, so I don't get many opportunities to socialize in my day-to-day life. I've done smaller speed dating events in the past, but this BBQ seems a lot bigger than I expected, and now I'm feeling a bit apprehensive. I thought there might be a meetup group or social page where I could connect with others attending for the first time, but it turns out there's nothing like that available.

So, would anyone who is going like to meet up a bit beforehand to make heading in alone less awkward? Alternatively, if you've been to one of these events before, do you have any tips or advice to make it more manageable?