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
Volunteer Night @ The Warehouse
Come volunteer with us refurbishing donated bicycles so that they can be used again by the community! This event is open to both new and existing volunteers. No mechanical experience is necessary.
Note: The warehouse location is in the alley behind 1502 Mt Vernon Ave. Enter through the gray door next to a roll-down garage door. If you drive to the location, be sure to park in the street, not in the alleys or parking lots surrounding the warehouse. And wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty with bicycle grease!
Please be aware that volunteers under 18 need a parent or guardian to accompany them to their first volunteer experience and sign a liability waiver, while volunteers under 16 need a parent or guardian to accompany them at all times while volunteering with Vélocity.
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!
Build Intelligent Agents with Work IQ, Foundry IQ, Fabric IQ, and Copilot Studio
**Agenda :**
* 4.45 to 5.00 PM ET: Food and Networking
* 5.00 to 5.50 PM ET: "Build Intelligent Agents with Work IQ, Foundry IQ, Fabric IQ, and Copilot Studio"
Hello Everyone! Please join us for our May 12th edition of the AI-ML MeetUp. **Please note this is an in-person meeting and light refreshments/food will be provided. You will need a government-issued ID to enter the facility.**
**Title:** Build Intelligent Agents with Work IQ, Foundry IQ, Fabric IQ, and Copilot Studio
**Description:** What if your AI agents truly understood how your business works, had instant access to trusted enterprise data, and could take meaningful action from end to end?
In this session, we’ll cover how to build enterprise-ready AI agents that understand business context, use trusted data, and take real action. In this fast-paced session, we’ll bring Work IQ, Foundry IQ, and Fabric IQ together with Copilot Studio through best practices and live demos.
Key Takeaways:
\*Work IQ: Ground agents in real work, roles, and business processes
\*Foundry IQ: Design and orchestrate intelligent agent behavior
\*Fabric IQ: Power agents with secure, enterprise-grade data
\*Copilot Studio: Bring it all together into an end-to-end intelligent agent
**Location:** The meeting will be hosted in the Applied Information Sciences ( AIS ) office in Reston, at 11440 Commerce Park Dr # 600 · Reston, VA. The location is also right off the Silver Line metro's Wiehle-Reston Metro Station.
**Parking:** Parking is paid and can be validated at the AIS office reception.
We will meet in Room Lake Anne.
We hope to see you all there!!!!
Poland’s Private Sector in the Global Economy. Panel and Networking Reception
**The Kosciuszko Foundation Next-Gen Association for Young Professionals** invites all peers in the Washington, DC and surrounding areas to the event:
***Scaling Success: Poland’s Private Sector in the Global Economy. Panel with Erik Brattberg and Pablo Rasmussen, Brzezinski Global Strategies.***
Join us for a dynamic KF Next-Gen panel discussion and networking reception featuring Erik Brattberg and Pablo Rasmussen of Brzezinski Global Strategies. Together, we will explore the key drivers behind Poland’s private sector expansion, including entrepreneurship, foreign investment, and regulatory evolution, while examining emerging opportunities in clean energy, digital innovation, and infrastructure, as well as the challenges ahead.
**TUESDAY\, May 12\, 2026 \| 6:00\-8:00 PM**
**The Kosciuszko Foundation DC**
2025 O Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
**Poland has emerged as one of Europe’s most dynamic economic success stories**, with its private sector playing a central role in driving sustained growth and innovation. Over the past three decades, the country has transformed into a leading economy in Central and Eastern Europe, with rapid GDP expansion and notable resilience through global economic shocks. Today, Poland ranks among the largest economies in the European Union, supported by a diversified industrial base and a highly skilled workforce.
At the heart of this transformation is a vibrant and expanding private sector. Market-oriented reforms have enabled private enterprises to account for roughly 80% of employment, exports, and economic value creation—making them the primary engine of national growth. From advanced manufacturing and logistics to a fast-growing technology and services ecosystem, Polish firms are increasingly competitive on the global stage.
**Erik Brattberg** is Managing Partner of Brzezinski Global Strategies. He previously served as Senior Vice President at DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group, advising clients on U.S. national security policy, transatlantic relations, and political risk. A recognized expert on Europe with over 15 years of experience, he has held senior roles at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the McCain Institute, among others.
Erik is a frequent commentator in major international media and has written for outlets including *The Washington Post*, *Financial Times*, and *Foreign Affairs*. He holds degrees from Georgetown University and Uppsala University and has completed executive studies at Oxford University.
**Pablo Rasmussen** is a Director at Brzezinski Global Strategies. He previously served in the Biden-Harris Administration as an advisor to the Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, supporting global operations and strategic initiatives across 61 country programs.
Before that, he worked at Albright Stonebridge Group, advising Fortune 500 companies and organizations on transatlantic affairs, EU policy, and investment strategy. He holds a degree in Government from Harvard University and is fluent in English and Spanish.
**Refreshments will be served.**
**This is a FREE event. RSVP required to: development@thekf.org**
DC Open Doors Home Buyer - Tuesday
Every Tuesday at 5pm!
RSVP at the following link to receive login details:
https://www.enggarcia.com/hbstuesday/
* The Districts Best first time home buyer webinar
* Learn about the home buying process
* How to qualify & what loans are available
* Qualifying for DC Open Doors and other programs
* Reduced down payment and closing cost opportunities
We're looking forward to seeing you soon!
Live Music - Every Tuesday
Whether you’re coming solo or with friends, Divino is the perfect place to gather. Enjoy live music, handcrafted dishes, and a warm, social atmosphere.
FREE PARKING GARAGE
Cocktails & Coloring @ Ballston Market food market, Basement level
Come the whole time or if you just spend 30 minutes. All are welcome.
You are welcome and encouraged to bring your own coloring supplies but, if you don't have any, I will have plenty and am happy to share! (coloring books, colored pencils, and markers).
Part of the mission of this group is to provide us an opportunity to check out AND SUPPORT local businesses. So, please don't bring any outside food/drinks and, while purchasing something isn't at all a REQUIREMENT to participate in the event, I do strongly encourage you to try something from the vendor :)
I look forward to seeing and meeting you there!
***\*\*DISCLAIMER*\*\*** Photos may be taken during the event to be shared here on Meetup so feel free to let me know if you'd like to be excluded from them.
Buy Local Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Knitting Group
Unwind and get creative at a cozy **Knitting Group** at Fairfax Coffee! Bring your current project or start something new while enjoying a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
Connect with fellow knitters, share tips and ideas, and enjoy some quality time stitching and chatting. As a bonus, attendees receive **10% off** their purchase!
Grab your needles, settle in, and stitch the day away. We’d love to have you join us
Volunteer at Velocity's Bike to Work Day Pit Stop
Bike to Work Day is almost here and Vélocity is once again hosting a stop at Colasanto Park!
Join us to welcome cyclists, hand out the official Bike to Work Day t-shirt, and maybe fix a flat or two. It's a great time and other local businesses will be there.
Bike to Work Day is a great day to start volunteering too!
More info on Bike to Work Day can be found here:
https://www.biketoworkmetrodc.org/
Support Monthly Warehouse Sale
Come support Velocity's Monthly Warehouse Sale! We'll need help moving bicycles outside the warehouse before 9 a.m. and back inside at 1 p.m. In between, we'll greet customers, help them find bicycles and parts, and ring up their purchases on Square. Feel free to sign up even if you can't volunteer for the whole time. And remember to wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty with bicycle grease!
Please note that volunteers under 18 are required to have a parent or guardian attend the beginning of their first volunteering session in order to sign a waiver for them, and volunteers under 16 are required to have a parent or guardian present with them during all the time they spend volunteering at Velocity.
Amnesty International Northwest DC Local Group Meeting
Since 1961, Amnesty International USA has fought to protect human rights as the world’s largest grassroots human rights organization. Our local group generally meets the second Wednesday of every month at the Cleveland Park Library. Each month, we do letter writing actions, discuss human rights issues in the news, and plan for hosting or participating in occasional events area events. For more information, email Mike Duffy at michaelbernardduffy@gmail.com.
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.
Washington DC Gay Men Dating From Home
**🏳️🌈 Live Video Gay Speed Dating for Washington DC Gay People Done with Apps — Verified Locals**
You get to work through live one-on-one Zoom rounds with gay people from Washington DC sorted by age and compatibility, with a real host running the session throughout.
Prior to the event, you complete a brief compatibility form — that data drives the matching to connect you with Washington DC gay singles who fit your profile, so your conversations have a better chance of going somewhere.
Once the event finishes, we send out mutual matches — with nothing shared unless both parties agreed — and you reach out whenever you are ready.
**Age-grouped registration — select yours:**
- **Ages 18-32** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=507.0&productType=onlineSpeedDatingGay&city=Washington%20DC&groupurlname=local-gay-men-connecting-through-culture&ar=18-32&face_v=2.0)
- **Ages 30-46** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=507.0&productType=onlineSpeedDatingGay&city=Washington%20DC&groupurlname=local-gay-men-connecting-through-culture&ar=30-46&face_v=2.0)
- **Ages 40-58** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=507.0&productType=onlineSpeedDatingGay&city=Washington%20DC&groupurlname=local-gay-men-connecting-through-culture&ar=40-58&face_v=2.0)
- **Ages 55+** → [REGISTER HERE](https://tempodating.com/product?productId=507.0&productType=onlineSpeedDatingGay&city=Washington%20DC&groupurlname=local-gay-men-connecting-through-culture&ar=55+&face_v=2.0)
**⚠️ Do not skip this:** An rsvp on this page is not a confirmed spot, so use your age group link above to register and complete the short personality quiz — capacity is restricted so act soon, and that combination is your actual confirmation.
---
**Great for:**
- Gay singles around Washington DC getting away from the exhausting loop of apps that waste evenings and want to talk to real gay people tonight.
- Gay women around Washington DC done with swiping for months without meeting anyone worth meeting and are ready for something that feels natural.
- Queer individuals who live in Washington DC bored of profiles instead of real people and prefer meeting people in person first.
**What to do**
1. **Select your age range** – via the link for your age group above, then take the brief personality quiz, since that is what confirms your place.
2. **Show up on Zoom** – via the Zoom link when the event begins, zero setup is required — just open the link, and from that moment the host runs the whole show.
3. **Meet your matches** – short Zoom speed dating rounds with compatible Washington DC gay singles in your bracket, with a friendly host making sure every round feels easy, given that the matching was done before the evening started.
4. **Find your matches** – we share mutual match results after the session closes, with mutual-only sharing meaning no awkward one-sided messages, and the follow-up is yours to manage however feels right.
⭐ *"Honestly the best gay dating format — felt very different to what I imagined"* – Washington DC gay local
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✨ The best gay conversations start somewhere — register through your age group and the evening takes care of itself for this event. You might be surprised what one evening can do. 🌸 ✨
(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.
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.
PO Box 21 Speakeasy
PO Box 21. Is a speakeasy in the basement of Highbanks Distillery in Westerville.
Check out the menu:
https://www.poboxtwentyone.com/home
Building Scalable Customer Identity Resolution Pipelines on AWS Using AI
Customer identity resolution becomes increasingly complex as organizations scale across multiple systems, regions, and data formats. Traditional rule-based approaches often fail to keep up with data variability, require constant manual tuning, and struggle with real-time processing needs.
This session presents a practical approach to building a scalable identity resolution pipeline using AWS services and modern AI techniques. The architecture combines data ingestion through Amazon S3 and AWS Glue, transformation pipelines using Spark on EMR, and machine learning models deployed via SageMaker for entity matching and standardization. Graph-based relationship modeling is implemented using Amazon Neptune to improve resolution accuracy by incorporating household and shared attribute context.
We will walk through how machine learning models can be used for name and address normalization, how intelligent blocking strategies improve matching efficiency, and how feedback loops can be introduced to continuously improve accuracy. The session also highlights how serverless components such as AWS Lambda can be used for orchestration and real-time processing.
**SPEAKER BIO**
Mosaic Syed is a Senior Data Engineering and Cloud Solutions Architect with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance data solutions across global enterprise environments.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosaic-basha-syed-92300856
**CALL FOR SPEAKERS**
Learn more: [https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/](https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/)
**THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: [https://www.veeam.com/](https://www.veeam.com/)
**DIRECTIONS**
8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH
go to 4th floor.
**Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?**
Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com
🌱 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!






























