Where to socialize and make friends as i genuinely want to make friends now?

Where to socialize and make friends as i genuinely want to make friends now? For yrs I had been a loner and even talked very less to people because I used to work remotely and due to this human interaction reduced greatly now I'm at a stage where I feel difficulty to go into much crowded areas but I feel lonely and sad so where to socialize and meet new people? If u suggest something pls provide names as well for those places so that I can genuinely get a good idea about it.