How The Crowded Table Club Started
When I moved to Raleigh from NYC at 32 in August of 2021, I found it very difficult to make new friends as a married, child-free Millennial new to the city.
While in NYC, I was apart of every women’s group known to womankind and working at large companies like Verizon Media and Conde Nast, and still found it hard to turn professional connections into a night out for drinks or a coffee walk with someone.
Yoga classes were for yoga. Networking events were career-focused. There had to be an environment where it was established and safe to disarm yourself and be open to making new friends.
So I asked myself, what if... we had an intentional space for only making NEW friends?...
Lucy at Midsummer 2026
So The Crowded Table Club was born.
Driving home from therapy one day, The Highwomen’s (amazing supergroup with Maren Morris and Brandi Carlile!) “Crowded Table” came on and the lyrics to the song “I want a house with a crowded table; and a place by the fire for everyone” put to words what I was longing for in my new city.
The inaugural event was in June 2022, and sold out at 60 people within the first week of ticket sales. The event theme was Caftans & Cocktails, complete with conversation starters, a massive grazing table, open bar and a female stand up comedian to help break the ice!
Feedback from the event demonstrated the NEED for this...
93% felt comfortable starting conversations and meeting new people
“Everyone was so positive and actually seemed pretty vulnerable sharing why they were there…”
The best gatherings have one thing in common: everyone feels like they belong.
Crowded Table Club exists to create a curated environment where people can show up as their authentic selves, feel safe, and build meaningful connections. Every guest plays a role in creating that experience.
Everyone has a seat at our table. We welcome people of every race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, age, ability, body type, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. Whether you're gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, queer — you are welcome here.
Lead with curiosity, not judgment. Be kind. Introduce yourself to someone new. Include others in conversations. Listen with empathy and assume good intentions.
Leave the mean girl energy at the door. Cliques, gossip, exclusion, bullying, intimidation, or intentionally making others feel unwelcome go against everything Crowded Table Club stands for. This is a space for connection, not competition.
Respect people's boundaries and identities. Honor names, pronouns, personal space, and the different ways people choose to participate. No one owes anyone a conversation, explanation, or personal information.
Protect the vibe. Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, harassment, discrimination, or behavior that makes others feel unsafe or repeatedly disrupts the welcoming atmosphere will not be tolerated.
Our goal is simple: we want every guest to leave feeling more connected than when they arrived.
To protect that experience, Crowded Table Club reserves the right to remove anyone whose behavior is harmful, exclusionary, or actively undermines the welcoming environment we've worked so intentionally to create. Guests asked to leave will not receive a refund.