We’re just days away from February 14, which is just another day on the second month of the year. No biggie. But if you feel like celebrating an over-commercialised non-holiday (or maybe you’re just looking for something to do), we’ve got 10 suggestions for you. Don’t worry – these parties, workshops, markets and festivals aren’t of the cheesy/corny/mushy variety, so you won’t see madly-in-love couples PDA-ing right in front of you. Probably. We can’t make any promises.
Just check out our list of ‘how to celebrate anything but Valentine’s Day’ below.
Carnival in the Sky
Feb 10 & 11 at 1-Altitude Rooftop & Bar. $40, includes two drinks.
This rooftop bar’s Prelude to Mardi Gras shindig offers panoramic views of the city, complete with roving dancers to crank the heat up and love-themed cocktails (potions?) to cool you down. Expect house tunes to tinkle through the speakers as you toast to… well, surviving yet another year of the non-holiday.
Hearts Go Loco
Feb 14, 8pm-midnight at Lucha Loco. Free.
Join in the chaos and craziness at Mexican joint Lucha Loco’s annual anti-Valentines party, where you’ll get to unleash your wild side and smooch a bunch of random strangers (then down free tequila shots in between) at the kissing booth. Feeling feisty? Pin a pic of your ex (make sure it’s an unglamorous one) to a piñata and bash the hell out of it. But if you’re secretly still holding out for The One, snap a polaroid of yourself, stick it on the love board, and resist the urge to make Call Me, Maybe puns.
Feb 12 & 26, 4pm-6pm at Gallery & Co’s outdoor bar. $100.
Drag your significant other (or perhaps a friend with artistic talents) to get hands-on at The Imperial Smithster’s small group session. You’ll be taught the basic metal making and melting techniques, and you can choose what you’d like to make from the selection of rings, pendants and charms. It’ll be a V-day well spent picking up a new skill. Oh, and since you’re already at Gallery & Co, stop by the Hello Chocolate pop-up to sample artisanal bars or get DIY bouquet arrangements from Yi Lian Ng Floral Atelier.
Majestic Market
Feb 17-19, 6pm at New Majestic Hotel. Free.
Ignore the fact that this is Valentine’s Day week and make your way to Bukit Pasoh Road, where a three-day weekend bazaar is happening at a 1928 conservation shop house. Besides picking up quirky homemade knick knacks by local brands, you can also get your craft on at workshops where you’ll learn how to make stuff like paper sushi and candy clay bead earrings.
Pasta-making workshops
Feb 14, 21 & 28 at Plentyfull. $38.
New-ish wholesome restaurant Plentyfull claims ‘all you k(nead) is love’, and we agree. Because the way to someone’s heart is via their stomach… right? If you’ve sworn off overpriced V-day meals for the rest of your married/attached life, sign up for this pasta-making workshop with the eatery’s head chef. Here, you’ll try your hand at preparing potato, pumpkin and gluten-free gnocchi dishes from scratch.
Say it With Love
Feb 24 & 25, 6.30pm-10.30pm at The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay. Free and ticketed.
Round up your best buds for a chill day out at Gardens by the Bay, where there’ll be plenty of non-romantic activities to keep you occupied, including a picnic at the meadow, an art jamming sesh, glow-in-the-dark windmills, DJ sets, LED stiltwalkers, gift-making workshops, handcrafted goodies by social enterprises and a screening of Magic in the Moonlight under the stars (okay, this one’s sort of romantic).
Singapore Biennale Celebrates Valentine’s Day
Feb 11, 10am-9pm at Singapore Art Museum. One-for-one Biennale admission prices.
Despite the rather unexciting event name, this looks like it’s gonna be a doozy. Picnic under fairy lights at the museum courtyard to a backdrop of tunes by local musicians, customise your own bag of DIY potpourri at Fleurapy’s floral booth, treat yourself to cookies and cupcakes by Pretty Awkward Pastry, or get your portrait done by artists from the Organisation of Illustrators Council.
The Recycled Party
Feb 11, 6pm-late at The Great Escape. $25.
Valent-what? Bring your own booze to this Kampong party that’s all about championing waste recycling (with great electronic beats by DJs Ulysses, Vito and Jeck Hyde). The cashless event will screen a documentary called Finding Solutions to Waste in Asia and feature an artwork created with recycled materials found on Singapore’s coastlines.
Urban Ventures x House of Noise
Feb 18, 3.30pm-10.30pm at Keong Saik Rd. Free.
Keong Saik Road gets another cool makeover with a street party featuring performances by the best and brightest of last year’s Noise Music Mentorship. Chow down on nosh by the likes of Lime House, The Cufflink Club and The Populus Coffee & Food Co before grooving the night away ’til you forget V-day was just over.
Valentine Vendetta
Feb 14, 7pm-late at Skyline. Pre-sale $35, at the door 45, both include two drinks.
Single and ready to mingle? Don your sleekest ‘come-hither’ threads (and practice your best Blue Steel gaze) before you rock up to the Valentine masquerade on the 45th floor of the Singapore Land Tower. You won’t find clichéd roses or mushy declarations of love here – instead, there’ll be games like ‘The Best Proposal’ (which may or may not be lame) to break the ice.
P.S. We will not be held responsible for anyone who succumbs to the allure of Valentine’s Day after attending any of these events.
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