Valentine’s Day?
Here are options to please sweeties, solos alike
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and so is the pressure to make the holiday special. As heart-shaped candies and googly-eyed stuffed animals fill the grocery store aisles yet again, you may be wondering how this Feb. 14 will be any different from the rest. But even on a day full of cliched love tropes, you can make Valentine’s Day in the Valley one to remember. Whether you’re celebrating or sulking on the day of love, many events throughout the Phoenix area are offering memorable experiences for couples and singles alike. With everything from chocolate-themed train rides to romantic rattlesnake viewings, there’s something for all types to enjoy.
Scottsdale Rose Ball
If you’re looking for an elegant night out surrounded by an emblem of Valentine’s Day, the Scottsdale Rose Ball will provide the romantic experience you’re looking for. The dance, presented by the national event-hosting agency Blockparty, begins at 7 p.m. at the Clayton House downtown. It will be adorned with budding rose trees, flower petals and holographic floral displays. The night will feature a live DJ, an open bar and a “special surprise” revealed at midnight. Participants must be 21 or older.
Details: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. The Clayton House, 3719 N. 75th St., Scottsdale. $75 the week of Valentine’s day, $100 on Feb. 14. www.eventbrite.com.
‘Galentine’s Day’ Aerial Yoga
This event for women will have you soaring through the air like Cupid’s arrow. Experience aerial yoga with your closest friends, or perhaps meet some new ones, at a special “Galentine’s Day” class at Elevate Yoga & Wellness. You’ll follow a guided meditation, fly through the air in an aerial hammock and enjoy a glass of wine and charcuterie.
Details: 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13. Elevate Yoga & Wellness, 1001 N. Third Ave., Phoenix. $28 for studio members, $40 for nonmembers, $50 at the door. 602456-2762, www.wellnessliving.com.
Valentines Super Love Jam
What would Valentine’s Day be without some sentimental slow jams? Mega 104.3 KAJM FM is fulfilling all your R&B needs with the Art Laboe Valentine’s Super Love Jam Concert. Soul trio The Temprees and vocal duo Peaches and Herb (the artists behind the famous “Reunited,”) are just two of nine artists set to take the stage.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. From $30.50. 602-379-2000, www.talkingstickresortarena.com.
Rattlesnake Crawl
One way to escape the cliched normality of Valentine’s Day is to spend it with one of the world’s most feared snakes. An array of live rattlesnakes will be on display — safely contained, of course — at Cave Creek Regional Park. The serpents will be presented by experts from the Arizona Herpetological Association, The Rattlesnake Conservancy and Rattlesnake Solutions.
Details: 2-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15. Cave Creek Regional Park, 37900 N. Cave Creek Parkway. $7 per vehicle. 623-4650431, www.maricopacountyparks.net/events/2020-rattlesnake-crawl.
Valentine’s Day at Taliesin West
Make a date out of visiting a national historic landmark nestled in the McDowell Mountains in Scottsdale. Taliesin West is a desert laboratory and the winter home of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It’s hosting a Valentine’s celebration with wine and chocolate pairings, live music and the exploration of this landmark. Guests will take home a limited-edition wine glass and hand-screen printed Valentine’s cards.
Details: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. Taliesin West, 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale. $65. 480-860-2700, franklloydwright.org.
Anti-Valentine’s Day Party
Not feeling the love this Valentine’s Day? The Monastery Bar and Grill is offering a place to either celebrate being single or enjoy yourself and forget that you are. The anti-Valentine’s Day party will feature food and drink specials and live music by Notes from Neptune.
Details: 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 14-1 a.m. Friday, Feb. 15. Monastery Bar & Grill, 4810 E. McKellips Road, Mesa. No cover charge. 480-474-4477, themonasterybar.com.
Valentine’s with a View
Treat your loved one to a romantic five-course meal while gazing at a stunning view of downtown Phoenix. Local chefs Alex Olmos Axelson of Noi Cacao, Rene Chito of Ghost Ranch, Brent Kille of Sonoran Pasta Co. and Nick Rusticus of soon-to-open Valentine will prepare a chocolate-themed dinner served on the rooftop of The Stewart apartment building. The event, hosted by Lauren Allen Dinners, will feature live music, candle-lit tables and an optional wine pairing.
Details: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. The Stewart, 800 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $159 for dinner, $199 for dinner and wine pairings. www.eventbrite.com.
Valentine’s Day Chat with a Coroner
One thing better than true love? True crime. Spend your Valentine’s night hearing stories of cannibalism, murder and other deadly examples of relationships gone wrong. The downtown Phoenix oddity shop Curious Nature is hosting “Valentine’s Day Chat with a Coroner,” where retired Pinal County corner Ron Crawford will tell stories based on his experiences. The event is at the Valley Garden Center, and Cha Cha’s Tea Lounge will cater, so you can snack and enjoy the outdoor gardens before listening to lethal love tales. Tickets are available online.
Details: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave., Phoenix. $25. 602-314 4346, curiousnatureshop.com.
Love in the Hills
If you’ve already found your partner and are looking for a way to refresh the love, renew your vows at Fountain Park in Fountain Hills. More than 100 couples have already registered for the event, which will begin at 2 p.m. with food trucks, live music and the Newlywed Game. The mass ceremony starts at 4:30 p.m. and will be conducted by nondenominational minister Larry James. No paperwork is needed. Register at Eventbrite or Sami Fine Jewelry, 16704 E. Avenue of the Fountain, Fountain Hills.
Details: 2-6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. Fountain Park, 12925 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. Free. 480-837 8168, www.samifinejewelry.com.
Girl Scout Cookie & Beer Pairing
Even if you’re not coupled up this Valentine’s Day, you can still experience a perfect coupling. Feb. 14 falls during Arizona Beer Week, and the 10th annual craft beer festival is celebrating by adding cookies to the mix. Representatives from Four Peaks’ brewing and kitchen teams will guide you through six beer and Girl Scout cookie combinations. There also will be appetizers and live music.
Details: 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14. Four Peaks Wilson Party Palace, 2401 S. Wilson St., Tempe. $30. 480-634 2976, www.fourpeaks.com/events/girlscouts2020.
Ballet Arizona’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
Experience Shakespeare’s renowned comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” presented by Ballet Arizona. Choreographed by Ib Andersen, the ballet will feature “fun-loving characters, quarreling fairies and mistaken identities,” according to the ballet’s website.
Details: Six performances Feb. 13-16. Symphony Hall Phoenix, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. $34-$168. 602-381-1096, balletaz.org.