The Lawrence Arts Center and the City of Lawrence are partnering to host a connection fair and film screening, which they hope will motivate residents to make connections and join local organizations.
The fair is designed to be informal and pressure-free, similar to a school activities fair, according to a city news release. Organizations of all types — including civic, creative, service-oriented, social and recreational groups — are set to attend, and residents can learn, ask questions and discover opportunities that match their interests.
The fair will be open from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27 in the Free State High School commons, 4700 Overland Drive. At 7 p.m., there will be a screening of the documentary “Join or Die.” The fair will continue for 30 more minutes following the film.
“Join or Die” explores the research found in the book “Bowling Alone,” by Robert Putnam, a former political scientist, researcher and professor at Harvard University. The film analyzes the connection between people joining organizations and a functioning democracy.
Cori Wallace, a spokesperson for the city, presented on the upcoming event during the Feb. 11 Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission meeting.
“We believe, at this moment, that we should be creating environments where Lawrencians can trust each other, and we hope to steward that trust,” Wallace said.
She said the city hopes to make it an annual event.
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Logan Pierson (he/him), reporting intern with The Lawrence Times since December 2025, is a senior journalism and photography student at the University of Kansas. He previously contributed to the University Daily Kansan as a senior reporter and beat reporter.
Read his work for the Times here.
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