Follow Cupid’s arrow to an elegant Italian-themed ball, or have a boozy friend date with your gal pals at a hotel bar. Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly activity, or a live show for Valentine’s Day, we’ve compiled a list of things to do around town:
Valentine’s Day Card Making
Make a Valentine’s Day card for your sweetheart, friend, or co-worker at a family-friendly craft experience. Art and wellness store Made With Love will provide card stock, pipe cleaners, stencils, paint, and other materials to help you create a card and fun memories with your kids or neighbors ($7).
Valentine’s Ball at Embassy of Italy
Get glammed up in your best ball attire for a romantic night in Verona. Waltz with your date across the ballroom floor, and then view a Roméo et Juliette opera performance. After the show, you can continue dancing to top 40 hits played by a deejay, and dine on Italian cuisine, including canoli at the dessert buffet ($105+).
Galentine’s Day Wine Night and Movie
This friends’ hangout at Water Bar Lounge has all the ingredients for a great night with your besties: a rom-com movie screening of How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days, plus wine, charcuterie, and oysters (free entry).
“The Love Birds” at Folger Theatre
Take your Valentine to the world premiere of composer Juri Seo’s The Love Birds—a romance-themed concert featuring 14th-century poetry, and period music hailing from France, Italy, and England ($20+).
“Men Are From Mars Women Are From Venus Live!”
This theater and standup show is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a tour throughout the US. Snag a seat to the off-Broadway couples’ sensation to hear quips and tales of marriage, dating, and bedroom experiences, all borrowed from relationship counselor John Gray’s book Men Are From Mars Women Are From Venus ($37+).
Comedy Chaos
Whether you’re on a first date, or out on the town with a group of friends, this comedy showcase at Atlas Brew Works Ivy City is sure to be a hilarious time—comics will perform a rotation of standup sets about dating and relationships ($5+).
Tony Sands With a Live Big Band
Dig the tunes of Ol’ Blue Eyes? Consider getting tickets to see singer Tony Sands live at the Hamilton. The Frank Sinatra cover vocalist will perform classics from Sinatra’s love song repertoire, accompanied by a nine-piece big band ($15+).
Galentine’s Boozy Tea
Skip date night with a lover to sip boozy tea with your girlies at Bar Pendry. The chic hotel bar will serve you and your gals heart-shaped macarons, passionfruit profiteroles, red berry tartlets, and other treats on a tiered tray along with tea-inspired cocktails. In between drinks and bites, you can unwind with complimentary hand massages at a Spa Pendry pop-up ($90).
Better Call Cupid!
Have a laugh at love at The Better Call Cupid comedy show featuring local standup comic and improviser Stacey Axler. After the show, you can move your feet to deejay beats, or join a Worst Pickup Line Contest to score a date for two at Metrobar ($15 for comedy show, free for afterparty).
Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.
