Social Software

**Meet new people over great food in a relaxed, social setting.** This is a small-group social dining experience for people who enjoy good food, good conversation, and expanding their circle in a natural way. Everyone attending is there to meet others — no pressure, no awkward networking. **What to expect** * A small group (usually 4–8 people) * A friendly, low-pressure atmosphere * Easy, natural conversation **How it works** We coordinate the group and reserve the table once attendees confirm. The venue and details are shared with the group beforehand. Just show up, order what you like, and enjoy the experience. Each guest covers their own food and drinks. To keep groups balanced and confirmed, seat confirmations happen through #dine: https://www.hashtagdine.com/

We’re thrilled to invite you to an exciting meetup! We'll have one talk presented by an Elastic employee and one presented by a community member. Bring your questions and come support the community! **Agenda** **5:00 PM** – Doors Open Come in, say hello, grab some food, and settle in for an engaging evening. **5:45 PM** – **"Lessons from evaluating production AI Agents for over a year", presented by** Susan Chang, Principal Data Scientist at Elastic **6:15 PM** – Q&A **6:30 PM** – "**Elasticsearch Journey – Working in Different Industries", presented by** Yasir Zaid, Elastic Certified Engineer **7:00 PM** – Q&A **7:15 PM** – Networking & Event Wrap-Up Stick around to chat, connect, and share insights with fellow attendees. **When:** Thursday, May 14th 5:00 - 7:00 pm **Where:** [Centre for Social Innovation - Spadina](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=43.650017%2C%20-79.397156) 192 Spadina Ave. · Toronto, ON 3rd floor, The Viola Desmond Room **Abstracts** **"Lessons from evaluating production AI Agents for over a year"** This talk covers methods of evaluating AI Agents, with an example of how the speakers built evaluation frameworks for a user-facing AI Agent system which has been in production for over a year. We share tools and frameworks used (as well as tradeoffs and alternatives), and discuss methods such as LLM-as-Judge, rules-based evaluations, ML metrics used, as well as selection tradeoffs. **Bio:** Susan Shu Chang is a Principal Data Scientist at Elastic, where she leads work on production-grade machine learning, including generative AI and agentic workflows. She is also an internationally recognized speaker, O’Reilly author, and keynote presenter at major global technical conferences. **My Elasticsearch Journey – Working in Different Industries** This talk explores Yasir Zaidi’s hands-on experience using Elastic products to deliver strategic solutions across banking, insurance, and telecommunications. Through real-world examples, the session will cover how Elasticsearch and the broader Elastic Stack have been used for search architecture, security, SIEM, and observability, along with some of the newer and more exciting projects now being built with Elastic. The talk will also highlight recent Elasticsearch features and innovations, and how they are opening up new possibilities for modern enterprise use cases. **Bio:** Yasir Zaidi is the Owner of ZD Inc. ([https://zd-inc.net/](https://zd-inc.net/)) and Elasticsearch Experts ([https://elasticsearch.expert/](https://elasticsearch.expert/)), and Co-Founder of 360metrics ([https://www.360metrics.io/](https://www.360metrics.io/)) and Certified Elasticsearch Partner Solution Architect. He has delivered hundreds of Elasticsearch projects for organizations around the world, with experience spanning Observability, SIEM, Enterprise search, Cloud deployments, and AI-powered search solutions, Serverless and much more. His work includes engagements with Ericsson, SAP, Intact Insurance, Videotron, RONA, Geotab and Desjardins Bank, just to name a few. Backed by three master’s degrees and Elastic certifications, Yasir brings deep technical expertise and proven global delivery experience. Linkedin: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasirzaidi/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasirzaidi/) Spots are limited, so don't miss out!

Hi Everyone, Join Us for a Fun & Friendly Social Night **PLEASE READ FULL DETAILS** You’re invited to our monthly social evening a relaxed, welcoming space to enjoy great conversation, connect with familiar faces, and meet new people in your community. This event is all about having fun, seeing the regulars, meeting your neighbours, and building genuine friendships. It’s a chance to step out, reduce stress, and enjoy a positive atmosphere that supports connection and well-being. **Important Reminder:** This is strictly a social gathering no networking or business promotion allowed. Please keep conversations uplifting, engaging, and friendly. The goal is simple: connection and community. *** ### NEW ADDITION: Game Night After Dinner! Starting every month, we’re adding a casual Game Night following dinner! You’re welcome to join us for dinner, stay for a relaxed game night, or enjoy both. There’s no pressure to participate feel free to play, cheer others on, or simply sit back and enjoy the atmosphere. Please note: * This is **not** a free event or a drop-in game night only. * You must purchase a meal to participate. * The dinner portion remains the core of the event. * Your meal must be paid prior to starting the games. * ***Members who do not purchase a meal will not be eligible to attend future events.*** **Game Time:** 9:00 PM – 10:30 PM Bring a deck of cards or your favourite board game. **Fun, light-hearted suggestions:** * Cribbage * Euchre * Uno * Skip-Bo * Rummikub * Scrabble * Yahtzee This is meant to be enjoyable and relaxed not competitive. No gambling permitted. Just good laughs and friendly fun. ### Event Details **What:** Social Gathering (Every 2nd Thursday of the Month) **Where:** Boston Pizza 2915 Eglinton Ave West, Mississauga, ON L5M 6J3 **Date:** Thursday, May 14, 2026 **Time:** 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Dinner) **Game Night:** 9:00 PM – 10:30 PM **Attendance:** If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP as seating is limited. *** ### Disclaimer I, Patricia Lavigne, am not responsible for any food, beverages, bills, or gratuities. All restaurant-related services and payments are handled directly with Boston Pizza. Please ensure you finalize your bill with your server before leaving. Come out and join me — it will be wonderful to see you in person! Looking forward to a great evening together. Patricia Lavigne www.patricia-lavigne.com 416-312-6983

Adopting GitHub in an enterprise environment can significantly enhance collaboration, streamline workflows, and improve code quality. However, successful adoption requires careful planning and implementation of best practices. This presentation will cover key strategies for integrating GitHub into your organization's development processes. We will discuss topics such as setting up repositories, managing access controls, implementing branching strategies, and leveraging GitHub Actions for CI/CD. Additionally, we will explore how to foster a culture of collaboration through code reviews and issue tracking. Attendees will gain insights into overcoming common challenges and ensuring a smooth transition to GitHub, ultimately driving productivity and innovation within their teams. Key topics covered: * Setting up single sign-on (SSO) and integrating with existing identity providers * Configuring Enterprise Account settings and policies * Organization structure and repository management * Managing user access and permissions effectively * Hybrid Model for GitHub and Azure DevOps * Securing GitHub Actions and workflows * Implementing shift-left security practices * Addressing security concerns and ensuring data protection * Rolling out GitHub Copilot in an enterprise setting * Leveraging GitHub Apps and integrations for enhanced functionality * Integrating GitHub with existing development tools and systems * Monitoring and auditing usage for compliance *Come at 5:30 pm have some pizza and chat for a bit. The presentation starts at 6:00 pm.*

Call on 416-938-2223 to find me :) -Ritik

Hi Everyone, Join Us for a Fun & Friendly Social Night **PLEASE READ FULL DETAILS** You’re invited to our monthly social evening a relaxed, welcoming space to enjoy great conversation, connect with familiar faces, and meet new people in your community. This event is all about having fun, seeing the regulars, meeting your neighbours, and building genuine friendships. It’s a chance to step out, reduce stress, and enjoy a positive atmosphere that supports connection and well-being. **Important Reminder:** This is strictly a social gathering no networking or business promotion allowed. Please keep conversations uplifting, engaging, and friendly. The goal is simple: connection and community. NEW ADDITION: Game Night After Dinner! Starting every month, we’re adding a casual Game Night following dinner! Come to dinner only or join in for casual game night. You’re welcome to join us for dinner, stay for a relaxed game night, or enjoy both. There’s no pressure to participate feel free to play, cheer others on, or simply sit back and enjoy the atmosphere. Please note: * This is **not** a free event or a drop-in game night only. * You must purchase a meal to participate. * Your meal must be paid prior to starting the games. * The dinner portion remains the core of the event. * ***Members who do not purchase a meal will not be eligible to attend future events.*** **Game Time:** 9:00 PM – 10:30 PM Bring a deck of cards or your favourite board game. **Fun, light-hearted suggestions:** * Cribbage * Euchre * Uno * Skip-Bo * Rummikub * Scrabble * Yahtzee This is meant to be enjoyable and relaxed not competitive. No gambling permitted. Just good laughs and friendly fun. Event Details **What:** Social Gathering (Every 2nd Thursday of the Month) **Where:** Boston Pizza 2915 Eglinton Ave West, Mississauga, ON L5M 6J3 **Date:** Thursday, May 14, 2026 **Time:** 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Dinner) **Game Night:** 9:00 PM – 10:30 PM **Attendance:** If you are unable to attend, please update your RSVP as seating is limited. Disclaimer I, Patricia Lavigne, am not responsible for any food, beverages, bills, or gratuities. All restaurant-related services and payments are handled directly with Boston Pizza. Please ensure you finalize your bill with your server before leaving. Come out and join me — it will be wonderful to see you in person! Looking forward to a great evening together. Patricia Lavigne [www.patricia-lavigne.com](http://www.patricia-lavigne.com/) 416-312-6983

Join us this Sunday for a friendly café meetup to connect with new people and expand your professional network.

Whether you're a seasoned tech veteran or just starting out, let's create the ideal afterwork place to meet and chill with other workers in tech - find that new job, expand your network, share ideas, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the industry. Let's inspire, innovate, and shape the future of technology in Toronto! Tech, AI, Data, IT, and more \~ ​ \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ### Event Details 💰 Cost: Free 🍺🥃 Afterwork drinks and social 📍 The Goodman Pub and Kitchen (Inside, or ask for Tech Social) - 207 Queens Quay W 🕕 6:00pm onwards every Friday ​ **Or RSVP on the website for our Discord / WhatsApp communities, and to see who else is going and what their backgrounds/seniority/interests are:** 🔗 [Link to Website](https://techsocialtoronto.com/event/meetup) ​ If you cannot find us, ask staff about Tech Social, or ask in the WhatsApp community above. ​ \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ### Who Should Attend? Perfect for **Toronto tech professionals** including: * **Software Developers & Engineers** (Python, JavaScript, Java, C++, React, Node.js) * **Data Scientists & Analysts** (Machine Learning, AI, Data Visualization, SQL) * **Cybersecurity Professionals** (InfoSec, Ethical Hacking, Cloud Security) * **Product Managers & Tech Entrepreneurs** * **Students & Tech Graduates** looking to break into tech * **Career Changers** entering tech industry * **Remote Workers & Digital Nomads** in Toronto * **Startup Employees & Entrepreneurs** * **Digital Marketing & Product Professionals** * **Senior Engineers** looking to mentor and network \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ### What You'll Experience * 🤝 **Network with Toronto tech community** * 💼 **Job opportunities** and referrals from peers * 🚀 **Career acceleration** through peer networking * 🎯 **Skill sharing** and tech discussions * 🧠 **Knowledge sharing** on latest tech trends * 🎉 **Social activities** and games * 🧠 **Learn from peers** about real-world challenges * 🚀 **Collaborate** on projects and ideas * 🎯 **Mentorship connections** (both ways!) * 🍻 **Fun, casual atmosphere** \- no matter your seniority level \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ### Event Guidelines * Support the venue by purchasing drinks/food (no outside items allowed) * Maintain appropriate behavior and respect for all attendees * Bring physical ID if required by venue (call ahead to confirm) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ​ ​ *Toronto Canada tech social mixer afterwork drinks AI connect network data IT programming cybersecurity digital nomad blockchain crypto big data science computer networking community jobs entrepreneur industry product design startup software development machine learning python javascript professional networking career development it professionals developers mentorship ai sql analytics data engineering business intelligence deep learning tensorflow pytorch data visualization data analysts ml engineers Toronto Canada tech social mixer afterwork drinks AI connect network data IT programming cybersecurity digital nomad blockchain crypto big data science computer networking community jobs entrepreneur industry product design startup software development machine learning python javascript professional networking career development it professionals developers mentorship ai sql analytics data engineering business intelligence deep learning tensorflow pytorch data visualization data analysts ml engineers*

Spend a day outside playing softball, having a drink, and actually enjoying being out with people. Register here ($35 until May 15th): [https://www.headouttoronto.ca/registration](https://www.headouttoronto.ca/registration) This event is called **In Play - a social-first day** for people who have played before and understand the rules of the game. It's **3 pitch format**, with teams pitching to their own players. **Teams and game times are set in advance**, so you'll know exactly when you're playing. Each team plays two games within a 4-hour window, and you're welcome to hang out at the park as long as you like. **Most people sign up solo or with a friend.** **What to expect:** \- 2 casual games \(50 minutes each\) \- Social\-first\, rec level play \- 3\-pitch format \- BBQ lunch \- Team and schedule set in advance \- Self umpired games **Details:** Date: Sunday May 17th Time: Between 10AM - 4PM Location: Coronation Park, Toronto Register here ($35 until May 15th): [https://www.headouttoronto.ca/registration](https://www.headouttoronto.ca/registration) New to softball? Start with our Starter Series instead!

Let’s do some coding together at a cafe! No more working alone in the weekend. Here, we write code together. And I mean together together. Not occupying-the-same-space-but-separate together. Here’s how it works: Jennifer brings her mobile app project, tells everyone that it is like Pinterest for recipes and she’d like to work on the nav bar. Paul and Chloe think Jennifer's project is fascinating, and they join the group. They gather around Jennifer’s laptop and work on the nav bar for 2 hours. Jennifer is the one typing out the code while Paul and Chloe research, brainstorm, and offer suggestions. If you’re feeling stuck on your own project or need a motivation boost, bring it to mob programming! Want to learn by watching how others code and solve problems? Join someone else’s project at this event! Oh and we love your half-done projects that you are a bit embarrassed to share. Absolutely bring those to the event! **Discord**: We use Discord to share screen & code snippets during the event. Also feel free to share your projects here before the event! https://discord.gg/xwjDdVSw3E **Event policy**: * We have 0 tolerance for harassment. * We don’t allow the projects that are not meant to be shared in public such as school assignments, interview tasks, or trade secrets. * The goal is to write code. We discourage you from pitching business ideas here, doing code reviews, or spending the whole event on planning what to do. * Please buy a drink, and tip the barista well.

**GoodChats.** . **Newest Way to Make Friends in Toronto!** . Ever walked into a coffee shop and wished you knew the people around you? That’s exactly what GoodChats is for. . Our Coffee Chat events are designed to make meeting new people feel natural — no awkward intros, no swiping, no pressure. Just real conversations with people who already share your interests. **How it works:** . **1) Sign up on iOS or Android** Download the GoodChats app to get started. . Use the code **COFFEE** to sign-up for the invite-only app today! [https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp](https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp) . **2) Start a chat about what you like** Talk about anything you’re into — hobbies, ideas, random thoughts. The app builds your profile based on what you actually care about. . **3) Join a Coffee Chat** We match you with a small group of people who share similar interests and invite you to a local coffee shop meetup. That’s it — just show up, grab a drink, and talk. . **What to expect:** * Small groups (so it’s actually easy to connect) * Weekly events at local coffee shops * A relaxed, low-pressure environment * People you’re genuinely likely to vibe with . **Good to know:** * Events are **completely free** * All event details and invites are inside the GoodChats app * We’re currently in **beta**, with new Coffee Chats happening every week Use the code **COFFEE** to sign-up for the invite-only app today! [https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp](https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp) . If you’ve ever wanted meeting new people to feel easier (and more real)… this is for you.

SPACE IS LIMITED! This is a much smaller class than our 7:30 pm event and we can only accept a limited number of students. Key areas of focus: Practicing oral communication (speaking languages), for conversations, presentations, interviews and job skills Schedule: 1. 6:30 - 7:15 pm : 45 -minute language conversation class with certified award-winning language teacher John Dias. 2. Language exchange social (7:30 - 11 pm): includes Free access to the Toronto's BIGGEST Language Party and Social Party also in the Madison Pub led by teacher John Dias (same location) **Cost: just $ 5 while we have this promo.** **PROMO (Limited Time): $5 fee will give you access to both events (usual rate: $15 total)** Feel free to message us if you have any questions!

**GoodChats.** **Newest Way to Make Friends in Toronto!** Ever walked into a coffee shop and wished you knew the people around you? That’s exactly what GoodChats is for. Our Coffee Chat events are designed to make meeting new people feel natural — no awkward intros, no swiping, no pressure. Just real conversations with people who already share your interests. **How it works:** **1) Sign up on iOS or Android** Download the GoodChats app to get started. Use the code **COFFEE** to sign-up for the invite-only app today! [https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp](https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp) **2) Start a chat about what you like** Talk about anything you’re into — hobbies, ideas, random thoughts. The app builds your profile based on what you actually care about. **3) Join a Coffee Chat** We match you with a small group of people who share similar interests and invite you to a local coffee shop meetup. That’s it — just show up, grab a drink, and talk. **What to expect:** * Small groups (so it’s actually easy to connect) * Weekly events at local coffee shops * A relaxed, low-pressure environment * People you’re genuinely likely to vibe with **Good to know:** * Events are **completely free** * All event details and invites are inside the GoodChats app * We’re currently in **beta**, with new Coffee Chats happening every week Use the code **COFFEE** to sign-up for the invite-only app today! [https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp](https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp) If you’ve ever wanted meeting new people to feel easier (and more real)… this is for you.

**📅 DATE:** Saturday, May 16th, 2026 **⏰ TIME:** 7PM–9PM (Check-in from 7PM–8:30PM) **📍 WHERE:** DraftKings Sports & Social – 840 N. High St., Columbus, OH **🎟️ Check in:** at the host stand when you arrive say, **"DK Meetup Social"** 🍻 Join us for a fun, social night out! Meet new people, grab a drink, and kick back in a high-energy atmosphere right in the heart of Columbus 🎉 🎯 **What to Expect:** 🎶 DJ starting at 9PM 🏓 “Water” Pong + games 📺 Huge 37ft TV wall for all the live sports action 🥂 **Drink & Food Specials (7PM–9PM):** $3 Domestic Drafts – Miller Lite & Coors Light $3 Well Liquor Cocktails $4 Select Call Liquor – Tito’s, Bacardi, Tanqueray, Dulce Vida Blanco, Jameson & Jack Daniel’s $4 Topo Chico Seltzers $5 White Tea & Green Tea Shots $3 OFF Appetizers (excluding traditional bone-in wings) **📌 Quick Details:** 🔞 21+ only 🚗 Parking available at Hubbard Garage (behind venue) Pull up, bring your crew (or come solo), and get ready for a great night out 🥂

Meet at Gemüt (on the patio) at 6:30 for our first Patio Society event. RSVP to let us know you’re coming!

Join the Columbus AI community for our quarterly gathering — a casual, community-focused evening where everyone has a chance to share, learn, and connect. These open mic–style events give anyone in the community up to **5 minutes** to present a project, share a tool, pose a question, or offer a perspective on the evolving AI space. No slides required — just a welcoming space to exchange ideas and keep the local AI conversation moving. If you’d like to take the stage, message \*\*Chris (the organizer)\*\*with a **title and short description** of what you’d like to share. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.linkedin.com/company/transformlabs/) Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/transformlabshq)

Columbus Code & Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. People of all skill levels attend, and we love it that way. Many people (optionally) bring projects to work on, and many other people (optionally) socialize the entire time. It's entirely up to you! **What to Expect at the Intro Circle** \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ Near the beginning of the event (1:30 pm), we do a standup: * Organizer announcements, updates, and logistics Round 1 - (7 secs max): * Your name * What you're working on * What you can help others with Round 2: * Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. Round 3: * Job opportunities you're hiring for OR announce that you are looking for one. If none, that's cool. After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized! Feel free to work alone, pair up, attend one of our workshops/presentations, or mingle!

📍 **Where:** PBR Cowboy Bar + Smokehouse in Easton 📆 **When:** Thursday, May 14th ⏰ **Time:** 7PM–9PM 🕖 Check-in: 7PM–8:30PM at the host stand Say **“PBR Meetup”** at the host stand to get your wristband for drink specials from 7PM–9PM 🍻 **Drink Specials (7PM–9PM)** $3 Domestic Drafts – Miller Lite & Coors Light $3 Well Liquor Cocktails $4 Vizzy Seltzers $5 Select Call Liquor – Tito’s, Bacardi, Bombay, Dulce Vida Blanco & Jack Daniels $5 Select Shots – White Tea & Fireball 🤠 **What’s Going On** 🎸 Live Music: 6:30PM–8:30PM 🐂 Bull Riding: 8:30PM–Close 💃 Line Dancing (w/Instructor): 9PM–10PM 🎧 DJ & Dance Floor: 9PM–Close 📍 **Location** 3950 Gramercy St., Columbus, OH 43219 🅿️ **Parking** Free parking in the lot across the street or Easton West Garage ✔️ **Good to Know** 21+ event Check in starts at 7pm and ends at 8:30PM to access specials Tell the host you’re with the "PBR Meetup" group when you arrive Grab a drink, meet some new people, and kick off your weekend the right way 🍻🤠

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** TBD **YouTube Link** TBD

Practical AI for Power BI Developers A year ago, “agentic AI” was mostly hype for Power BI teams. Today, it deserves your undivided attention. For Power BI pros, there is now a real opportunity to reduce repetitive development work, accelerate delivery, and help developers do more, but only when strong DataOps practices are in place to make AI workflows effective. This session is a no-nonsense introduction to effective AI patterns for Power BI and Fabric development. Along the way, we will make sense of the growing pile of terminology, including skills, plugins, hooks, and MCP. You will see examples of how modern AI tooling can help with development tasks across Power BI and Fabric, along with the prerequisites, guardrails, and DataOps principles needed to use it responsibly. Whether you're burned out on AI hype or already using Copilot CLI daily, this session will show you the foundations that are finally making AI-assisted development genuinely useful.