It’s time to gather differently.
“We’re all drowning in content. What we need are containers for connection.” — Casper ter Kuile
Something is shifting in how people want to gather. We’re hungry for something different than hours alone scrolling, commenting, and spectating. We want to show up somewhere physical, do something together, and leave with new insights and memorable conversations with (IRL) people. Making friends as an adult can be hard!
Enter: fourth spaces.
Fourth spaces are experiences organized around shared interests (like a fandom or hobby) where shared passion lays the groundwork for real connection and meaning.
Blanket Fort designs fourth space experiences where fans don’t just attend — they participate, create, and play together. Research shows that we connect more deeply when we’re doing things together — making something, solving a challenge, playing a funny game — and 84% of people who attend interest-based gatherings say they’ve made close friends there.
When fans are asked to contribute — not just consume — something shifts. Strangers become collaborators. People leave with inside jokes, new fan friends, and unexpected insights that only happen inside the Chaotic Good energy of doing something together.
Rooted in 20+ years of professional facilitation and successful game building, Blanket Fort brings the fourth space experience to book communities, fan gatherings, and any occasion that could use a dose of magic.
North Stars: What we Build
Every Blanket Fort experience aims to create:
- Connection. The kind that produces inside jokes, new fan friends, and conversations that keep going on the drive home.
- Unexpected joy. The laugh when someone makes a nerdy book reference and the whole room loses it.
- Meaning. Something that lingers for fans after the chairs are stacked — a new way of seeing the book, each other, or themselves.
Building Blocks: How we Build it
“Connection doesn’t happen on its own, you have to design for it” — Priya Parker
◆ Intentional Arc: Every experience has a shape — a beginning that opens people up, a middle that moves them, and an ending that lands with weight. Energy is managed, not left to chance.
◆ Play and movement: Original games, in-universe challenges, and activities that get people out of their seats help fans to fully revel in what they love. At Blanket Fort, fun is a design principle, not a happy accident!
◆ Reflection: Flash minute papers, small group shares, and layered conversations are designed to help people go deeper into even the most worn book pages and discover new insights.
◆ Thoughtful facilitation: Participants feel invited, centered, and genuinely encouraged to contribute, all within a carefully-crafted structure that centers inclusion and psychological safety.
◆ Imagination and storytelling: Great books create entire worlds, and creative gatherings can let people live inside them for a while. Tailored prompts, in-universe activities, and story-driven experiences bring the text to life in ways a traditional discussion never could. Participants don’t just talk about the book. They inhabit it.
Wondering what this could look like for your book, your community, or your event? Let’s build a fort!