DENVER — In October 2020, when COVID-19 cases in Colorado were on a steady climb, Rocky Mountain PBS brought you the story of Denver’s Cupid, the only LGBTQ+ matchmaking service in Colorado.

At the time, the service’s founder and owner, R. Tony Smith, told us over Zoom that “virtual dating is here to stay.”

Seven months later, thanks in large part to vaccinations, COVID-19 cases are on the decline in Denver and restrictions on in-person activities have largely expired. As a result, in-person dating, as opposed to the virtual matchmaking Smith became accustomed to during the pandemic, has surged in popularity.

“Many people are now requesting that their first dates go back to old-school in-person dating,” Smith said. “This makes me extremely happy because another joy I have is setting up those first dates — and I work to find LGBTQ, women and minority-owned businesses.”

Smith said that many people he knows have suffered from “Zoom fatigue.” But that hasn’t stopped some of his clients from making what Smith calls “worldwide connections,” in which LBGTQ+ Coloradans develop relationships with people across the globe.

This is possible, Smith explained, by the recent acceptance of Denver’s Cupid in organizations like the Worldwide Matchmaker’s Alliance and the Global Love Institute.

“Those first intros most certainly are via virtual date,” Smith said of international matchmaking. “Love has no boundaries and Denver’s Cupid is often sourced for potential love throughout the world  — as we also work to find love for Coloradoans in other parts of the world.”

Watch our Colorado Voices video from October 2020 in the video player below.