Vicky Kuharski, Staff Writer~
It is that time of year again. Whether you are celebrating love with a significant other, your friends or hiding out until it is over, the City of Lynchburg has a slew of options to cater to any specific needs.
To Eat and Drink
Pizza is the love language of nearly every 20-something-year-old. Benny Scarpetta’s, on Main Street, understands this language and is happy to accommodate. They are offering a heart shaped pizza (eating it by yourself or sharing it with a loved one is left to your own discretion).
If barbeque is more your style, Fifth and Federal Station is offering a couple’s Valentine’s Dinner for their Get Whisk(e)d Away event. For $35, a couple can pick one appetizer, entrée, and dessert item. The restaurant has added two specialty entrées just for the occasion, including a smoked potato taco and a low-country boil. Patrons can also add a whiskey flight pairing to their meal for $16: Jameson with the appetizer, Woodford Reserve for the entrée, and Teeling Single Malt for dessert.
RA Bistro has traditionally been a popular spot for Valentine’s couples, and this year will be as romantic as usual with a surf-and-turf menu, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries for $65 a couple. The restaurant will also have an artist throughout the night that will be painting the scene and will also have a florist on site selling flowers and bouquets.
Some individuals prefer to go out to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but many prefer the comfort of home. Either way, Magnolia Foods has you covered. If eating out is more your style, you may join Magnolia Foods on Rivermont Avenue for a four-course wine pairing. Each course is paired with a different wine, all of which will be available to purchase by the bottle when the dinner is over. If you prefer to spend a night in with your loved one, but want a special dinner to share, Magnolia Foods is offering a prepackaged meal for $65 that includes two starters, two entrees, two desserts and a bottle of wine. Being able to decide between dressing to the nines or wearing pajamas while you eat is free of charge.
If Valentine’s Day is not your thing and you are looking for a group of like-minded individuals to bash the holiday with, Water Dog is the place to go. The bar’s “Anti-Valentine” event will include a partnering with Blue Toad Cidery and cookies that will be the counterpart to the conversational hearts. They will also be playing the Mustache movie drinking game. Every time the mustache fits perfectly onto one of the actress’ or actor’s face, it’s bottoms up.
To Do
Food and drink might not be your thing. Perhaps you are more of an experience person or couple. Lynchburg also has plenty to offer you this holiday!
If you are looking to work with your hands with your significant other, Vector Space is offering a couple’s welding course. You and your partner will learn the fundamentals of stick welding and get a practice round of welding before creating your own masterpiece! For $120, you will receive instruction on welding and ultimately create your very own table top LOVE sign. Alternately, if you are going solo this holiday, The Academy Center for the Arts will be throwing an Anti-Valentine’s Day Clay party. For $20, you and other singles can be instructed on how to perfect your pottery techniques. They will also be selling $10 bottles of wine to be enjoyed during the event.
If you are both a horror fan and a heart day fan, the Lynchburg Underground Movie Club will be doing showings on Feb. 21 of the 1980s Canadian slasher film My Bloody Valentine. They will be offering a popcorn and cash bar during the movie screening.
If a night of live music sounds more like your thing for Valentine’s Day, there are many options available to you. Craig Hanson of Craig Hanson and the Gypsies will be playing at the Stoney Badger Tavern. Whether you are with friends or want to dance the night away with your Valentine, it is sure to be a night of drinking and fun.
For local history buffs, Old City Cemetery is offering a lecture at the Jones Memorial Library on Lynchburg’s 20th century red light district. Local historian Nancy Weiland will verbally walk the crowd through a time during the World Wars where every house on Fourth Street was a brothel. This talk is free to the public and will also feature the unveiling of a painting of Fourth Street in that time period, created by a local artist.
As you can see, there are many options available to you this Valentine’s Day. Whether you want to eat, dance or create, Lynchburg has you covered. Though this list covers different events to participate in, there are many more going on, which can be found via Facebook or through any of the Downtown Lynchburg events organizations. You may hate the holiday or you may love the holiday, but both sides can agree that Lynchburg is an excellent place to spend it.
