(Supplied)

By Ashley Lavallee-Koenig

DINNER, ACTIVITY, AND DESSERT

Better with Friends event reveals Red Deer hidden gems

Jul 16, 2024 | 10:50 AM

Hidden Gemz invites residents to attend Better with Friends, a night of city exploration including food and an activity, offered in a choose-your-own-adventure-style experience.

On July 18, participants will meet at City Hall Park at 4 p.m. before choosing a restaurant to go to for supper. After a meal, the group will choose which of the offered activities to do, before finishing off the night with a sweet treat.

“Hidden Gemz itself is a city exploration game where we send you across the city, finding all the hidden gems that you guys have,” says CEO and founder Ranique McLaughlin. “You decide where you’re going to go next, wether you’re in the mood for tacos or sushi, wherever you choose it’s where we send you and with your ticket, it covers everything for the day.”

This is the organization’s first event in Red Deer, and will be focused on the downtown area.

The intention of the event is both to encourage residents to explore and appreciate what the city has to offer, and to give people an opportunity to connect with new people. Participants can move at their own pace from location to location, and will receive text messages instructing them where to go next.

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“It’s a new way to explore Red Deer. Come out and make some friends and have fun in the city,” McLaughlin says.

There are two types of tickets available: general admission, and the base package. General admission provides attendees with discounts and perks for each location in the experience, while the base package includes the meal, activity, and dessert costs altogether. Each participating business receives a portion of the base package ticket sales.

The first 30 tickets for the event this Thursday are free.

By checking in and taking photos at each location, you can earn points. These points can then be redeemed for free tickets to various activities and events in the city.

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