LIFE & CULTURE VALENTINE’S DAY IS NOT JUST FOR COUPLES ANYMORE
Whether you have a date on Valentine’s Day or are solo — or just want to order in — we’ve got you covered
12 events for singles along the Front Range
If the thought of chowing down on some candy conversation hearts repulses you and you feel a chill run down your spine every time you walk past the greeting card aisle, you might want to consider skipping Valentine’s Day altogether this year and celebrating “anti-Valentine’s Day” or “Singles Awareness Day” instead.
While it can be nice to get all mushy-gushy with your partner every February, we realize that this sickeningly sweet holiday just isn’t for everyone.
No date? No problem. This Valentine’s Day, you can celebrate on your own or with friends at these 12 events along the Front Range. The Goonies in Boulder. Grab a friend and head to the Bohemian Biergarten in Boulder
on Feb. 15 to rock out to The Goonies, an ’‘80s cover band that really knows how to rock. Event organizers suggest you wear black and bring a healthy dose of cynicism and resentment with you. And absolutely no pink is allowed in the venue! Bohemian Biergarten, 2017 13th St., Boulder, 720-328-8328, bohemianbiergarten.com Galentine’s Day at Poka Lola Social Club. Celebrate Galentine’s Day on Feb. 13, the day before the actual holiday, at Poka Lola Social Club at Dairy Block, where you can get a special cocktail to share with your favorite girlfriend from 4 p.m. to close. Poka Lola Social Club, 1850 Wazee St., Denver, 720-4602725, pokaloladenver.com
Make an Anti-Valentine’s Day Cake. Don’t fret about being single this Valentine’s Day; eat cake instead. My Make Studio in Denver is hosting an AntiValentine’s Day cake class on Feb. 15 taught by Mikaila Riehm. The cake features candy conversation hearts made out of fondant with expressions like “Go Away” and “Don’t Want.” There’s also a cupid stabbed by his own arrow on top. My Make Studio, 6460 E. Yale Ave., E60, Denver, 720-334-8001, mymakestudio.com Lonely Hearts Club at Citizen Rail.Break out your finest ’90s garb and head to Citizen Rail for the Lonely Hearts Club event on Feb. 15 from 10 p.m. to midnight. There will be strawberry champagne Jell-O shots, a happy hour menu and a special punch infused with Mezcal and Campari during this late-night celebration. You may also go home with a complimentary ’90s ballads mix CD, curated by the restaurant’s staff. Citizen Rail, 1899 16th St., Denver, 303-3230017, citizenrail.com Binge and Better package at Hotel Born. If you’d rather not stay at home on Valentine’s Day, check into Hotel Born, which is offering a “Binge and Better” package for you and your girlfriends. With this deal, you’ll get two cocktails at Citizen Rail, a $20 movie credit, passes to the Colorado Athletic Club, breakfast with a green juice flight and a secret “binge-worthy” amenity. Hotel Born, 1600 Wewatta St., Denver, 303-323,0024, hotelborndenver.com #SquadGoals package at The Curtis. Another fun Galentine’s Day option: the #SquadGoals package at The Curtis hotel, which includes a room on the hotel’s “Chick Flick” floor, a $75 food and beverage credit, complimentary parking, late checkout and champagne, cotton candy and macaroons to welcome you to your room. The Curtis, 1405 Curtis St., Denver, 303-5710300, thecurtis.com “500 Days of Summer” at The Lyric. The Lyric movie theater in Fort Collins is doing a special Anti-Valentine’s Day screening of “500 Days of Summer” on Feb. 13, a quirky romantic comedy starring Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. (It’s also showing “Amelie” on Feb. 14, if you’d rather see that.) The Lyric, 1209 N. College Ave., Fort Collins, 970-426-6767, lyriccinema.com Anti-Valentine’s Day Party at Noonan’s Sports Bar and Grill. If you really want to protest Val- entine’s Day, or you just really hate your ex, head to Noonan’s Sports Bar and Grill in Aurora, where you can get free drinks if you bring a photo of your ex to shred. Plus, you can drown your sorrows with steak, because Noonan’s is offering a $10.95 “steak and bake” special all day, plus $4 Smirnoff vodkas, $5 Tuaca, $6 Crown Royal and pitcher specials after 7 p.m. You can play trivia at 8 p.m. with DJ Dan, too. Noonan’s Sports Bar & Grill, 13521 E. Iliff Ave., Aurora, 720246-0309, noonanssportsbar.com
Speed Dating at Cerveceria Colorado. If your thumb is getting tired of constantly swiping, consider this speed-dating event at Cerveceria Colorado at 7 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. Every three minutes, you’ll rotate around the room to meet someone new. Then, when the night is over, you’ll write down the people you’re most interested in and Cerveceria Colorado will email the couples who match up. They’ll even have some Mexican-inspired craft beers and starter questions to get the conversations flowing. Cerveceria Colorado, 1635 Platte St., Denver, 720-279-8248, cerveceriacolorado.com Party Bus Bar Crawl in Colorado Springs. We think the slogan for the Anti-Valentine’s Day Party Bus Bar Crawl in Colorado Springs is pretty clever: “Roses are red, violets are blue, a bar crawl is cheaper than a dinner for two!” So, if a bar crawl is what you’re looking for, check in at Benny’s Lounge at 5:30 on Feb. 15, then hop on the Local Motive Party Bus for a tour around Colorado Springs’ pubs and bars. There will be cheap, anti-Valentine drinks available at each spot, plus you can win prizes by telling the best crazy ex or break-up story. They also invite you to bring your old love letters to burn! Benny’s Lounge, 517 W. Colorado Ave., Colorado Springs, 719-634-9309, localmotiveevents.com Order Delivery From Denver Milk Market. Don’t feel like leaving the house the day after Valentine’s Day? No problem. Milk Market is offering $5 off when you spend $20 through UberEats from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Feb. 15. Sushi and Joint Rolling Class. While this could also be a good date-night activity, the sushi and joint-rolling class hosted by My 420 Tours is a good choice if you’re solo on Valentine’s Day this year. During this two-hour class, you’ll learn how to roll the perfect joint and the perfect sushi roll. Be sure to bring your non-expired state-issued ID card and you have to be at least 21 to attend. The class is $79 per person and goes from 7 to 9 p.m. My 420 Tours, 3881 Steele St., Denver, 720-571-0536, my420tours.com.