Valentine’s Day: it’s not just for couples

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This article was published 13/02/2019 (2720 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s easy to be cynical about Valentine’s Day.

Yes, it’s a heteronormative holiday invented by the greeting-card industrial complex, designed to make single people feel bad about themselves. Red and pink clash, and it doesn’t even have a good mascot. Cupid? The Roman god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection is also an armed baby? Please.

But listen: as with most things, your own personal enjoyment of Valentine’s Day hinges on your attitude. This holiday can be for everyone and celebrate all kinds of love. If your idea of celebrating involves mainlining drugstore chocolate and Netflix, you are my kind of person. But if you want to go out, here are five ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Winnipeg.

 

Manitoba Museum

“Birds do it, bees do it — even educated fleas do it.” Cole Porter knew that love (and, um, other stuff) isn’t just for humans, and so, too, does the Manitoba Museum. After Hours: Wild Romance shows us how it’s done in nature, offering a suite of fun, adult-geared activities with an animal-kingdom bent: an animal mating-ritual dance-off, a pair of pop-up talks — one on all things “horn”-y (think beetles and rams, get your mind out of the gutter), another entitled Plants Just Want to Have Sex — a pollinator dating game scavenger hunt, tango lessons, beer tasting and more.

Everyone is welcome, whether you’re a love bird or a lone wolf. And, if you’re feeling particularly down on love, you can “help us destroy a red rose with liquid nitrogen.”

The event runs from 6 to 11 p.m. and tickets are $15 per person for non-members and $12 for members. And if you can’t get a sitter, there’s an event for kiddos age five to 12 in the Science Gallery featuring crafts, science demonstrations and a dance party.

 

Sexual du Voyageur

The Good Will Social Club, Big Fun Festival and DJ Co-op reliably throw the steamiest dance party of the year, and 2019 is no exception.

The seventh-annual Sexual du Voyageur goes down at 9 p.m. at the Good Will, and cover is $10. DJ Co-op, DJ Chairman Au and DJ Anthony OKS will spin a make-out mixtape full of sexy slow jams and dance-floor bangers and 50/50 (which includes members of Ivory Waves and Black Cloud) will perform a live cover set. This is an 18-plus event.

 

The Met

Here’s looking at you, kid. What better way to celebrate the day of love than watching one of the most romantic movies of all time — Casablanca, of course — in a beautiful setting?

The Metropolitan Event Centre is hosting a Dinner and a Movie event on Valentine’s Day, featuring a buffet dinner at 5 p.m., followed by the screening at 7 p.m. — which comes with complimentary hot-buttered popcorn, followed by dessert at intermission. Tickets are $38 plus taxes per person, $28.99 plus taxes for adults 55-plus. This is an 18-plus event.

Visit ticketmaster.ca for tickets.

 

Skate date at the Forks

For Valentines who prefer to play outside, there’s plenty to do at The Forks. For more structured events, the Red River Mutual Trail will host a Skate Date from 5 to 7 p.m. that includes free hot chocolate, toques and cinnamon candy hearts.

For those feeling a bit more adventurous, Winnipeg Trails Association and Plain Bikes are hosting Big Bike Chill, a week of winter cycling for beginners and seasoned pros alike. Ride an imported Dutch bike with your Valentine, then warm up with a glass of wine at the Common — or perhaps go for a winter wonderland wander under the twinkling canopy in Arctic Glacier Park.

Royal Dance at The Forks, located on the second floor Forks Market, will keep your kids entertained at their Valentine’s Day Kids Party; cost is $15 per kid, email info@danceforks.ca to register and to ensure there are spots left.

 

Assiniboine Park Zoo

A brand-new zoo baby is making its debut on Valentine’s Day. The newborn white-handed gibbon, the first born to parents Maya and Samson on Feb. 4, will be on view for the first time.

Their story is Valentine’s Day appropriate: Maya and Samson were matched via the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which, as I’ve written before, is kind of like Match.com for endangered animals.

The goal is to help build and maintain sustainable populations of species that need protection and conservation; gibbons are endangered due to palm oil deforestation.

Not unlike humans, successful matches require chemistry; a few years ago, the zoo had to rematch one of its red pandas, Sachi, because her intended mate was terrified of her. Her second match was much more successful and the couple ended up having twins.

If oohing and ahhing over an adorable baby gibbon isn’t your thing, the Qualico Family Centre is hosting a fancy-pants French-inspired Valentine’s Day dinner complete with wine pairings. Tickets are $100 per person; doors are at 6:30 p.m. and dinner is at 7 p.m. Visit assiniboinepark.ca for tickets.

By the way, parents: If you want to celebrate without your beloved-but-buzz-killing children, Scout Coffee + Tea will take ’em off your hands between 5 and 8 p.m., so you can enjoy a romantic dinner out or possibly just a nap.

There are three spots left for Nanny Night. Email info@scoutwinnipeg.com.

jen.zoratti@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @JenZoratti