Why Local Events Still Matter in the Age of Social Media

Why Local Events Still Matter in the Age of Social Media

These days, you don't necessarily have to attend an event to know what happened there.

Someone will post the invitation.

Someone else will record the entrance.

Then come the pictures, videos, TikTok clips, Instagram stories and WhatsApp statuses.

By the end of the day, you may have seen almost everything that happened—even though you weren't there.

But watching an event through a phone screen isn't quite the same as being in the room.

There is something about gathering with other people that technology hasn't been able to completely replace.

Events Give People a Reason to Come Together

Think about the different events that bring people together.

Weddings.

Birthdays.

Graduation ceremonies.

Concerts.

Cultural festivals.

Business conferences.

Community meetings.

Religious celebrations.

Award ceremonies.

Even small neighbourhood gatherings.

The event itself may last only a few hours, but the relationships created or strengthened there can last much longer.

Sometimes people attend an event because of the occasion.

Other times, they attend because of the people they'll meet.

The Unexpected Meetings Are Often the Best Part

One of my favourite things about attending events is meeting people you weren't expecting to see.

You might walk into a venue and suddenly hear:

“Wait, is that you?”

Someone you haven't seen in years is standing there.

You start talking.

Then another person joins the conversation.

Before long, you're remembering things from ten years ago.

Those moments are difficult to create online.

Social media can reconnect you with someone, but physically meeting them can bring back a completely different feeling.

Nigerian Events Have Their Own Character

Anyone who has attended a Nigerian event knows that things don't always go exactly according to schedule.

An event may be advertised to start at 2 p.m., and people are still arriving long after that.

Someone is looking for the MC.

Someone is asking where the food is.

A relative is taking pictures with practically everybody.

Music is playing.

Children are running around.

Someone is making a speech that was definitely supposed to be shorter.

And somehow, everybody is enjoying themselves.

It can be chaotic.

But that chaos is sometimes part of what makes the experience memorable.

Food Is a Serious Part of Many Events

Let's be honest.

For many Nigerian events, food isn't just a small detail.

People want to know what is being served.

Rice?

Chicken?

Jollof?

Pounded yam?

Soup?

Small chops?

Drinks?

And the food can become one of the most discussed parts of the entire occasion.

You might forget the exact speech somebody gave.

You might forget what song was playing.

But if the food was excellent, people will remember.

And if the food was disappointing?

They will remember that too.

Weddings Are More Than Just a Ceremony

A wedding isn't only about the couple.

It can also become a meeting point for entire families and communities.

Relatives who haven't seen each other in years may travel long distances.

Old friends reconnect.

Parents meet people they've heard about for years.

Children meet cousins they didn't know existed.

The photographs are important, but sometimes the conversations happening away from the camera are even more valuable.

Cultural Events Help Preserve Identity

Events aren't always about entertainment.

Cultural festivals and traditional ceremonies can help younger generations understand where they come from.

Traditional clothing.

Music.

Dance.

Food.

Language.

Stories.

Local customs.

These things can easily disappear when they're not passed from one generation to another.

A child may not understand the importance of a particular tradition when they're young.

Years later, they may appreciate having experienced it.

That's why cultural events can be more important than they initially appear.

Business Events Can Create Real Opportunities

Events can also be valuable for professionals and entrepreneurs.

A business conference, exhibition or networking event can put you in a room with people you would probably never meet through social media.

You might meet:

A potential customer

A business partner

An investor

A mentor

Another entrepreneur

Someone with a useful skill

You don't have to pitch your business to everyone you meet.

Sometimes a simple conversation is enough to create a relationship that becomes useful later.

But Events Don't Have to Be Huge

There's a tendency to think an event has to be massive to be meaningful.

It doesn't.

A small community gathering can be just as memorable as a large concert.

Ten friends having dinner can create better memories than a crowded party.

A local football tournament can bring an entire neighbourhood together.

Sometimes the most meaningful events are the ones without thousands of attendees.

The Problem With Turning Everything Into Content

There's nothing wrong with taking photographs and videos at an event.

In fact, recording special moments is a great way to preserve memories.

But sometimes people become so focused on recording the event that they forget to actually experience it.

You see someone holding a phone throughout an entire concert.

They barely watch the performer directly.

They're watching through their camera.

The same thing happens at weddings and parties.

There's a balance.

Take your pictures.

Record your special moments.

Then put the phone away occasionally.

Look around.

Listen to the music.

Talk to someone.

Enjoy being there.

Events Create Memories That Don't Need Wi-Fi

Years from now, you may not remember every photograph you uploaded.

But you may remember the person you met.

The joke somebody told.

The unexpected conversation.

The dance.

The journey to the venue.

The friend who made everyone laugh.

The relative you hadn't seen in years.

Those memories aren't stored in your phone.

They're stored in your mind.

My Opinion

I think we're sometimes underestimating the importance of physical gatherings.

Technology has made communication easier, but human beings still need real-world interaction.

We need places where we can laugh together, celebrate together, learn together and sometimes simply sit together.

Not every event will be spectacular.

Some will be poorly organized.

Some will have terrible traffic.

Some will start late.

Some will have music that's far too loud.

And yes, some will have food you wish you'd never tasted.

But that's part of life.

You don't attend an event because everything is guaranteed to be perfect.

You attend because something is happening, and people are coming together.

Final Thoughts

The next time you receive an invitation to an event, don't automatically decide that you'll just watch the pictures online.

If the occasion matters to you and you can reasonably attend, consider going.

Dress up.

Leave the house.

Meet people.

Take some pictures.

Laugh.

Dance if you want to.

And most importantly, be present.

Because sometimes the memories that stay with us aren't the ones we captured on our phones.

They're the ones we actually lived.

This article is part of MrPsquare.com's Events, Culture & Opinion section.