Buy Local
Meet other local people who support locally owned businesses by buying locally produced products as an economic development strategy. Whether local is your city or country, discuss strategies that help strengthen your communities.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out buy local events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the buy local events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find buy local events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Buy Local Events Today
Join in-person Buy Local events happening right now
DIY Hours at Del Ray Shop
This is an opportunity for volunteers to support a professional mechanic as he guides customers working on their own bikes. If you know how to do some basic repairs, that's a plus, but even if you don't, you can greet customers and manage who gets helped next. Feel free to attend for only a portion of the time if you can't be there the whole three hours.
Please note that this event is not usually an opportunity to learn about bicycle repair, since the mechanic tends to be very busy helping customers, especially during the warmer months. But it's a great way to contribute to Velocity, since almost all the funding for the volunteer program comes from the work done at the shops.
TOOOL NoVA Lockpicking Monthly Meeting @ Nova Labs Fairfax
Come join us at Nova Labs for our monthly lockpicking meeting! We meet every third Wednesday at the Nova Labs Fairfax location at 3850 Jermantown Road. Learn about locks, lockpicking, lock modifications, and even lock smithing in our classroom environment. No tools, skills, or knowledge required, but feel free to bring any of those things with you! Our meetings are overseen by one or more locksmiths.
GREEN HAPPY HOUR
To secure your spot, purchase your ticket from the Eventbrite link ([https://www.eventbrite.com/e/green-and-sustainable-environment-happy-hour-tickets-882772264607](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/green-and-sustainable-environment-happy-hour-tickets-882772264607)[). RSVPing only on the Meetup Page doesn't allow you to attend the Event. ADVANCE TICKET PURCHASE IS REQUIRED.](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/green-sustainable-energy-environment-happy-hour-tickets-288764391067)
ABOUT THE EVENT
This Happy Hour is devoted to professionals in the Green, Sustainable Energy and Environment; to grow, interact, and learn from each other. It is designed to provide a professional environment to meet other professionals to broaden one's career. It is also for those interested in careers in the sector and are studying or intend to enter the dynamic world of green movement.
HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign areas for each represented INDUSTRIES AND SPECIALIZATIONS; and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular experience, you would like to exchange. Space is limited and advance ticket purchase is required. PLEASE BRING A BUSINESS CARD.
***Ticket price includes a Taco and House Margarita/House Wine/House Beer. Cash Bar afterwards (which means you pay as you go). Our signature drink Mer-Tini will be featured too:) Ask your bartenders.***
\- Come one\, come all; YOU CAN FLY SOLO TOO:\) This is the most friendliest event you have ever attended\!
\- Feel free to invite your friends\. They don't necessarily have to be a member
\- Celebrate your birthdays or your moments in life with us\.
\- For bottle/table service email \(info@[merevents.co](http://merevents.co/)m) or text at (202) 368-1878.
\- Event is 21\+
Payment Instructions :
1\. You should login from a PC to see the 'Pay Now' button\, after RSVPing\. Then hit the button\.
2\. Verify correct dollar amount for number of people you're paying for\.
*3.* **If you don't have a Paypal account, proceed to the next page and scroll down to see "Pay with a Debit or Credit Card". Then turn off the button 'Save The Info and Create Your Paypal Account'*.***
4\. If you have a Paypal account\, simply log in\, and pay as you normally would via Paypal\.
How to Unblock the Pop-up Blocker on Your Phone
Many of our patrons advised us that they have a Pop-up Blocker on their iPhones and it hinders them from buying tickets. To unblock, please follow the following steps :
For Safari Users :
1\. Go to Settings\.
2\. Scroll down to Safari and click on it\.
3\. Select Block Pop\-ups and turn it off\.
For Google Chrome Users :
1\. Open Google Chrome\.
2\. Click on the three dots and you will see many options\.
3\. Click on Settings\.
4\. Scroll down to content settings\.
5\. Select Block Pop\-ups and turn it off\.
Refund & Ticket Resell Policy
All sales are final. We only refund the full amount, if the event is canceled. If it is rescheduled, we will send an email to ticket holders advising that. A full refund will be given to those that let us know within 2 calendar days of the update email, if you are unable to make it on the new date. No refunds will be given after that time.
However, you can sell your ticket to someone else if you are unable to attend. Please, feel free to post in the comment box for the event, that you have a ticket for sale. Work out payment between yourselves, and have the seller only send the organizer a message letting us know the full name of the person taking your spot. You must let us know two hours before the RSVP close time, on the day of the event.
💼 Build With Me #3: Build Your Idea (Working Session)
# 💼 **Build With Me #3: Build Your Idea (Working Session)**
🗓 Wednesday \| 7–9 PM
📍 Venue: AWS HQ2: 1770 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA 22202
Now it’s your turn.
In this session, we take real ideas from the audience and start building them — together.
***
## ⚡ What We’ll Do
* Select a few audience ideas
* Break them into simple, buildable versions
* Start building live (with guidance and feedback)
* Share progress and next steps
***
## 🧠 What You’ll Learn
* How to evaluate if an idea is worth building
* What the *simplest version* should look like
* Where AI helps — and where you need to think
***
## 🎯 Who This Is For
* Anyone with an idea (big or small)
* People who want hands-on experience
* Builders ready to take the next step
***
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You just need to start.
***
Bring your ideas.
Let’s build.
World Product Day 2026 Celebration
🍻 [World Product Day](https://www.mindtheproduct.com/world-product-day/) is about more than product — it’s about the people who build them. Join **ProductTank DC** for a celebration bringing together product professionals to connect, reflect, and recharge around this year’s theme: **Resiliency**.
Product people are no strangers to change. We adapt, learn, and keep building—together. This evening is an opportunity to step back, celebrate that resilience, and recognize the shared challenges and wins that define our craft.
Expect thoughtful conversation, practical insights, and a chance to reconnect with the product community in person. Whether you’re an experienced product leader, a new PM, or simply curious about product management, this meetup is a space to learn, contribute, and celebrate the people doing the hard work of building what’s next.
**Special thanks to our host:** Clyde's of Chevy Chase!
*Please note: Attendees are responsible for their own food and drink purchases. Food and drinks will be available directly from the venue*
What Actually Builds Friendship?
The percentage of people reporting no close friends increased 5-fold between 1990 and 2021..
I feel it. Most everyone I talk to does too. And yet — no one talks about it. That's about to change.
Maybe you've felt it too. The sense that everyone around you seems to have their people already figured out. That friendships are somehow supposed to happen on their own, but they just... don't. That you're already out there meeting people, and still something is missing...
As a loneliness and connection researcher, I can say that it's NOT just you--it's an epidemic. And at this event, it becomes a conversation.
Join us for an evening on finding and cultivating real connection. 💙
This is a part-social, part-educational event! You'll hear a 15-minute talk and take part in guided, small-group discussions — the kind where you actually learn something *and* meet someone worth knowing.
**You'll walk away with:**
* A clearer understanding of how proximity and intention drive connection more than almost anything else
* Real stories from real people, shared in a room that makes it safe to be honest
* Actionable steps you can use this week toward building the relationships you actually want
"The experiences that make us feel the most alone, and even isolated, are often the most universal experiences." -Brené Brown
Suggested age: 20s-40s
**\~Loose Plan\~**
Intro ⁘ 5m
Absurd Icebreaker ⁘ 5m
Hear my Personal Story ⁘ 5m
Journaling ⁘ 5m
Hear Main Talk ⁘ 15m
Q+A ⁘ 10m
Small Group discussion ⁘ 10m
Journaling (optional) ⁘ 5m
Small Group sharing ⁘ 20m
Takeaways (optional) ⁘ 5m
Social hour/feedback ⁘ 5m - end
**Why?**
• Washington D.C. named "Loneliest city in America" when measured by the percentage of single-person households (48.6%)
• Addressing mental health stigma and promoting open dialogue about loneliness are essential steps towards fostering inclusive communities and supportive environments (Kehinde 2024)
**Getting there, parking, etc**
• Metro: Get off at East Falls church on orange line + 20m walk
• Car: Street parking and two free lots
**About the organizer - Michael Lin, PhD, MS**
Michael Lin earned his PhD in Applied Mathematics from Arizona State University, where he studied how information spreads through social systems. After moving to San Francisco, and feeling a loneliness he hadn’t expected, he began exploring a deeper, more personal question:
How do we connect better with others?
Since 2023, Michael has been sharing what he’s learned on his YouTube channel, breaking down human connection and offering practical ways to build more meaningful relationships.
Today, he speaks on these topics, helping others move from isolation toward genuine connection.
If you’re interested in having him speak at your event or organization, please reach out!
YouTube: Complex Objects [https://www.youtube.com/@complexobjects](https://www.youtube.com/@complexobjects)
Instagram: @**thesocialcircle** @complex_objects
[Meetup.com](http://Meetup.com): The-Social-Circle [https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-nihgttao/events/](https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-nihgttao/events/)
Italian Dinner @ Mama Lucia's (Rockville)
Mama Lucia's in Rockville has half priced bottles of wine on Weds. They also have the best pizza and my favorite type (NYC-style).
They have great pasta dishes too.
If it's nice, we can sit outside.
Have a look at their menu:
[Mamma Lucia Menu | Order Pizza, Pasta Online Delivery & Pickup](https://mammaluciarestaurants.com/menu/)
All aboard mates!
Buy Local Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Local Social Host Sign-Up: Lunches, Drinks & Curated Experiences
**Want to help bring your city’s community together?**
We’re looking for local hosts to organize small group lunches, evening drinks, mixers, movie get-togethers and curated experiences.
**No experience necessary,** just a friendly attitude, some local knowledge, and a willingness to meet a few new people. After each event, we’ll send a short feedback form so we can improve and support you. The host will also be able to provide feedback so we can learn what worked and what didn't.
**[Click here](https://form.questionscout.com/6926c9ab87a828a5c11a79fc)** to apply and get started: if you’re selected, we’ll reach out for a quick screening call.
Open Shop Hours
We will have open shop hours for anyone to bring their bikes to work on or need help fixing your own bike.
We will also have bikes that need to be fixed so you can learn if you like.
We will need everyone to sign in when arriving and sign out when leaving so we can keep track of volunteer hours and shop times.
Suggested donation of $15 per hour for use of tools and space would be appreciated. Thank you!
Call of Cthulhu - Beginner Group
This meetup is for beginner players that were not able to attend the original Meetup back on April 8th.
Players will be building their investigators for the first scenario. No need to bring anything with you. I have all the supplies you will need.
We will meet at Kaldi's Social House at 3100 10th Street N. Arlington.
If you have any questions feel free to send me a private message.
(Del Ray) Saturday 1st Shift: Customer Service Help (10am-1pm)
Sign up to help with customer service at our Del Ray shop! **If this is your first time doing customer service at our shop**, **please direct message Elizabeth here via MeetUp** so she can ensure someone can be there to orient you.
**What you'll do:**
* greet customers
* manage customer traffic
* help customers find basic bike parts in our store
* direct customers to the mechanics if they need a bike repair
* help customers find a bike that fits them
* set customers up to test ride bikes
* work the register to conduct customer payments
**Qualities of a good volunteer for this role:**
* customer service oriented
* willing to work outside most of the shift
* able to work on their feet most of the shift
* comfortable working in a faced-paced environment
* open to a steep learning curve with a rewarding experience the more times you volunteer
* excited to learn about Velocity Bicycle Cooperative and become part of our volunteer team that keeps our wheels turning!
**What to Bring/Attire**
* A water bottle & snack
* Wear comfortable shoes and clothes appropriate for the day's weather
* Sunscreen and a baseball hat if it is sunny
**Age Requirements:** If you are under 18, you must bring a parent/guardian with you to the orientation to sign the waiver.
Walking Group
Enjoy a relaxed walk aroundthe beautiful **Green Springs Garden**! Take in the fresh air, vibrant blooms, and peaceful surroundings while connecting with others.
A perfect way to unwind and enjoy the outdoors.
(Del Ray) Sunday 1st Shift: Customer Service Help (12pm-2pm)
Sign up to help with customer service at our Del Ray shop! **If this is your first time doing customer service at our shop**, **please direct message Elizabeth here via MeetUp** so she can ensure someone can be there to orient you.
**What you'll do:**
* greet customers
* manage customer traffic
* help customers find basic bike parts in our store
* direct customers to the mechanics if they need a bike repair
* help customers find a bike that fits them
* set customers up to test ride bikes
* work the register to conduct customer payments
**Qualities of a good volunteer for this role:**
* customer service oriented
* willing to work outside most of the shift
* able to work on their feet most of the shift
* comfortable working in a faced-paced environment
* open to a steep learning curve with a rewarding experience the more times you volunteer
* excited to learn about Velocity Bicycle Cooperative and become part of our volunteer team that keeps our wheels turning!
**What to Bring/Attire**
* A water bottle & snack
* Wear comfortable shoes and clothes appropriate for the day's weather
* Sunscreen and a baseball hat if it is sunny
**Age Requirements:** If you are under 18, you must bring a parent/guardian with you to the orientation to sign the waiver.
(Del Ray) Sunday 2nd Shift: Customer Service Help (2pm-4pm)
Sign up to help with customer service at our Del Ray shop! **If this is your first time doing customer service at our shop**, **please direct message Elizabeth here via MeetUp** so she can ensure someone can be there to orient you.
**What you'll do:**
* greet customers
* manage customer traffic
* help customers find basic bike parts in our store
* direct customers to the mechanics if they need a bike repair
* help customers find a bike that fits them
* set customers up to test ride bikes
* work the register to conduct customer payments
**Qualities of a good volunteer for this role:**
* customer service oriented
* willing to work outside most of the shift
* able to work on their feet most of the shift
* comfortable working in a faced-paced environment
* open to a steep learning curve with a rewarding experience the more times you volunteer
* excited to learn about Velocity Bicycle Cooperative and become part of our volunteer team that keeps our wheels turning!
**What to Bring/Attire**
* A water bottle & snack
* Wear comfortable shoes and clothes appropriate for the day's weather
* Sunscreen and a baseball hat if it is sunny
**Age Requirements:** If you are under 18, you must bring a parent/guardian with you to the orientation to sign the waiver.
Buy Local Events Near You
Connect with your local Buy Local community
Saturday Mornings @ East Market
Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating.
Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator.
Per what this group is about:
"Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who enjoy talking to people from other countries, and those who would like to discuss international travel and culture, and who enjoy getting together for good conversations."
How to Get Over Losses and Betrayls & Build Lasting Relationships
Join us for this free, in person meeting on the subject of betrayals, losses and how to get over them so you can build lasting relationships.
Do you want more motivation and confidence to build lasting relationships?
Are you burdened by a stressful relationship?
Unhealthy relationships can trigger feelings of anger, despair or self-doubt. They can create dwindling spirals of fights and seeking to make-up, or trying to “pin the blame” on someone or something. If you don’t find the RIGHT reasons, or select the correct sources of the problem, the problem can just get worse and worse.
Whether in love or personal ties, with friends or at work, our life really IS affected by the quality of our relationships. Good ones can promote pleasure and survival, while less optimum ones can lead to annoyance, anger, self-doubt, stress, or even affect our health and ability to survive well.
Whether you are suffering from a divorce, or a painful break-up, don’t know who to trust (or who to CHOOSE) as a partner, friend, boss or employee - the anxiety of relationship troubles can really make a mess of things. Maybe you’ve suffered a betrayal, or are dealing with hostility or criticalness or invalidation. Dwindling relationships can involve destructive behavior, where we hurt those we love, or start succumbing to self-destructive thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that spiral out of control and affect much more than our immediate relationship.
Past losses in love or life can affect how we act or react to new people and situations and hold us back from even starting to create new, possibly great relationships! How can one get back onto a saner course of action?
Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life: human relationships!
Break free from self imposed limitations
Here we will discuss:
• How to “erase” the trauma of past hurts and betrayals so that one isn’t always repeating past mistakes.
• Why and how do the negative emotions of others affect you?
• Why is my partner withdrawing and what can I do about it?
• Why do we sometimes feel compelled to hurt the ones we love?
• Fights & arguments - what's really behind them?
• What underlies “corrosive criticism” or the need to invalidate self or others?
• How one can stably change one’s outlook on life so they can affect positive change?
• Where do compulsive destructive behaviors come from and what can be done about them?
• How to form closer bonds & keep growing the relationships with the people you care about?
• How to enhance one’s own ability to survive and create positive healthy relationships whether in love, family & friendships or in work, business or one’s career?
Relationships can be hard and life itself IS challenging. Why not arm yourself with the knowledge and breakthroughs that have been made about the mind, mental reactions & interpersonal relationships, so that one has better awareness and control over themselves and life in general.
Learn where painful experiences are “stored” and how they can unknowingly affect us. You will also find out how one can “erase” those past painful experiences so that one is free to move forward without being tripped up by the past. Learn too, about what can lead some people to become “toxic” personalities and how to identify those traits in others so you won’t be tripped up trusting the wrong person.
Our free Meet-ups occur in a safe environment where one can learn, without fear of judgment or criticism, and without the recommendation of harmful mental techniques or therapies, just how YOU can get yourself onto a happier & more successful path: in love & in life.
We look forward to having you join us!
This class is held at the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.
🌱 Wild Ones Columbus Annual Native Plant Sale
Wild Ones Columbus Annual Native Plant Sale
Saturday, May 23th, 2026
9:00 am to 1:00 pm (Eastern Time)
Overbrook Presbyterian Church Parking Lot, 4131 N High St, Columbus, OH, 43214
Public Welcome, Family-Friendly Free Event
A wide variety of native flowering plants, grasses, shrubs, and trees will be available from Wild Ones Columbus and local vendors Natives in Harmony, Leaves for Wildlife, and Scioto Gardens.
Wild Ones will publish a list of plants that will be available at this year's sale closer to the event date.
Be sure to stop by! Show up anytime!
In-Person Meeting: How to Improve Relationships with Others
Attend a free seminar on how to have successful and lasting relationships.
At this seminar you will learn:
How to spot and handle negative and toxic relationships.
How to get through the "rough patches" in a relationship.
How to choose the right people to work with.
The three things that make or break any relationship.
How to make a good relationship great.
All are welcome. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there.
Hosted by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.
Gold Star Business Networking
Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!
Free In-person Meeting: Unwanted Emotions & Loneliness, How to Get Over Them
This is an in-person meeting.
Did you know that unwanted emotions like loneliness, sadness, hopelessness, anger, fear, anxiety, or feelings of irritation don’t just fall on you for no reason. They are not random occurrences that simply happen to people's minds. They are definitely not chemical imbalance in your brain due to some nebulous chemical reactions by chance.
Your negative emotions are the symptoms of the painful experiences that you have which are not healed, and which are still affecting you.
The effects of these painful experiences are exacerbated by the pressures or difficulties of the other problems in your life.
For instance, let's say you are already carrying a huge load on your back, then you cannot take on much more, but, let's say something else happens to you, such as the difficulties from the Pandemic, then the resultant combined weight on you can take you over the edge, kind of like the straw that break the camel's back. When this happens, people's attention usually goes to the straw that was added, but actually the majority of the weight had come from the huge load that were already there, holding a person down and causing a person issues.
So how do you remove the huge load that was already there? How do you lighten them up? Is it possible to get rid of them?
That is what this meeting will be all about.
Come to our Meetup, where we can introduce you to some of the knowledge, tools and techniques of the breakthroughs in the field of the mind that we can apply to this ever important area of life.
Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there.
This group is created by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.
Drop-In-Person Coaching (In-Person)
Have a small business? Ever wish you could just ask some questions around how to grow your business, get more customers or just know what the freak you are doing with sales?
Now is your chance!! Every month we are hosting the "Ask an Expert" at the Columbus Metro Library, Main campus. I will be there to answer your Sales related questions.
Drop-in for sales coaching designed to help small business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals sharpen their sales approach. Whether you have questions on how to refine your pitch, are looking to close deals more quickly, or are working on building better client relationships, Smashing Your Sales Goals Coaches are here to help.
Drop-in to get expert insights, actionable strategies and real-time solutions to grow your business and generate higher profits.
Drop-In Sales Coaching is FREE + OPEN to the public. No appointment needed. First come, first served.
EPIC Learning created. Accelerate Columbus supported.




























