Photo by Elisabeth Campbell
Audio By Carbonatix
We can probably all agree that love is a game — just usually not literally. In a unique collaboration between We Met in Miami, a nonprofit event series aimed at fostering love, friendship, and connection, and world-renowned electro funk duo Afrobeta, real Miami singles competed for a free date live onstage at the Doral Yard on December 29, 2025. Inspired by the 1960s television show The Dating Game, this lighthearted competition, known as “Love is Magic,” offered contestants a chance to win a weekend rendezvous to various locations, including the Frost Museum of Science and Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.
In February 2024, Jessica Bakeman, founder of We Met in Miami, saw a need to create spaces for the Miami community to thrive.
Photo by Elisabeth Campbell.
“I was lonely,” said Bakeman, “and I felt like the opportunities that I was looking for to make meaningful connections in person with people through shared interests just didn’t exist.”
Out of this need, Bakeman created We Met in Miami, a system that allows attendees to follow others and indicate their openness to making new connections. Adults 21+ wear wristbands at each event, and are encouraged to wear more than one: green for people looking for love, blue for those seeking friendship, and rainbow for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Photo by Elisabeth Campbell.
When longtime friends Bakeman and Afrobeta’s Cuci Amador, put their heads together, “Love is Magic” was born. The game show, named after a 2011 release by Afrobeta from their album Under the Streets, also featured a live performance by the duo to end the night.
“I’m always thinking of different ways to bring the music and the artistry to show another facet of what we do,” said Amador. “We can have fun in all these different ways.”
Many connections were made that night. “Matches” were announced over the loudspeaker. Determined by similar characteristics and interests, attendees looking for connections were given the opportunity to put themselves out there and meet someone new.
Photo by Elisabeth Campbell
One lucky winner, Alicia Del Aguilar, just came for the experience and was pleasantly surprised to encounter a dating game show. She and her match, Chuck, became fast friends over the course of the night and joked that they must have met in a past life.
“Everyone should come out!” said Del Aguilar. “It’s a lot of fun.”
We Met In Miami organizes events on the regular, you can find upcoming meetups on their website.
