Young single adult conference fosters social connections through games, speed dating and more

The Gather Together Concert included concerts, hangout rooms and an attempt to break the world speed dating record

20 Aug 2023, 1:00 p.m. MDT

A group of young people talking in pairs. — Attendees speed date at the Gather Together Conference, part of the Utah Area YSA Conference, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. Megan Nielsen, Deseret News

In addition to hearing spiritual messages and participating in family history activities, young single adults socialized and made connections in Christ during the Gather Together Conference on Aug. 19.

Young people sitting across from each other at a long table. — Ryan Petty and Sarah Young speed date at the Gather Together Conference, part of the Utah Area YSA Conference, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News

The Gather Together Conference was the main event of the 2023 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference, held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The conference included concerts, a dinner, hangout rooms and an attempt to break the world record for the most people at a single speed dating event.

The concert series included performances from The Piano Guys, Nashville Tribute Band, Lexi Walker, The Bonner Family and Truman Brothers.

Participants who purchased an event pass received a dinner pass for the evening, which included short ribs with carrots, potatoes, pasta salad, a dinner roll, a cookie and a choice of soda.

A large cafeteria full of young people sitting at tables and eating. — Young single adults enjoying a meal in the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the Gather Together Conference on Aug. 19, 2023. | Ryker Eggenberger, Church News.

Hangout rooms and sports areas were set up throughout the convention center, including video game systems in the hallways, lawn games like corn hole and nine-square in one of the convention halls, and areas to just “chat and chill.”

A table with a board game and young people sitting around it. — Left to right, brothers Andrew, Grant, and Taylor Smith play a game in the game room at the Gather Together Conference, part of the Utah Area YSA Conference, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. | Megan Nielsen, Deseret News

At the speed dating activity, the YSAs attempted to break the record for the most people speed dating in one event, which was 1,363 speed daters in at an event in Brussels. The five sessions of speed dating at the YSA conference averaged 1,000 participants, totaling over 5,000 speed daters at one activity. Officials said they would submit the number for recognition as the new world record.