Happy love month, Baltimore. Your feed is likely flooded with glitzy events and romantic dinner specials fit for happy couples. Totally fine if that’s your forte. (Check out our list of prix-fixe meals around town, here.) But Valentine’s Day happenings don’t have to be conventional to be worthwhile. Love applies to friends, family, Galentines, pets—sometimes even plants. Whoever you choose to spend time with, the local scene is offering plenty of non-cliché ways to celebrate.
2/4: Mini Valentine’s Day Market
Shop around for locally made goodies to surprise your bae or bestie at this R. House pop-up market. Look out for handmade candles, literary gifts, clay jewelry, and much more while sipping love-themed cocktails. R. House. 301 W. 29th St. 12-6 p.m. Free.
2/5, 2/6: Dirty Dancing at The Senator
February calls for rom coms. For two showings, this ‘80s classic is hitting the big screen at The Senator. Settle in with a bucket of popcorn for a visit to Kellerman’s Resort with Baby, Johnny, and the rest of the dancing dynamos. The Senator Theatre. 5904 York Road. Times vary. $8.
2/10: Booze and Browse at The Ivy: Valentines Edition
Swing by the Falls Road bookshop to sip free, boozy concoctions while checking out discounted art books. That’s a Valentine’s Day win-win, if you ask us. The Ivy Bookshop. 5928 Falls Road. 5-7 p.m. Free.
2/10: Galentine’s Day Dance at No Way Rosé
Corral the gals and head to this Federal Hill hotspot for a Taylor Swift-themed dance party. Dress to represent your favorite Swiftie era, sip themed cocktails, graze hors d’oeuvres, and score giveaways. Your ticket counts as an entry in a raffle for a special prize. No Way Rosé. 31 East Cross Street. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. $13.
2/10-11: Love is Blind at Laurel’s House of Horror
For one weekend, this creep-infested cinema complex invites all anti-valentines revelers to have some spooky fun. Expect interactive characters bedecked in frightful makeup, scenes to overwhelm the senses, and escape room antics. Laurel’s House of Horror. 935 Fairlawn Ave. 7-10 p.m. $20-25.
2/11: The Galentine’s Day Sketch Show
Grab your friend group and get ready for a 90-minute laughter fit in Fells Point. Written and performed by an all-woman cast, this silly show explores the woes of crushes, late-night texting, bad breakups, and more. Fells Point Corner Theatre.251 South Ann St. 8 p.m. $20.
2/11: Handmade Valentines at the AVAM
Join artist Martha Simons at the Key Highway museum to craft some sweet notes for your loved ones. Bring along handwritten poetry or photocopied images to paste onto your masterpiece. American Visionary Art Museum. 800 Key Highway. 10 a.m. $20.
2/11: A Day for Gals to Celebrate Gals at NOLA Seafood & Spirits
Grab your girls and hit the New Orleans-inspired bar and live music venue in Federal Hill for a dance party supporting The Helping Up Mission. Snag tickets while they last, gather menstrual products to donate, and arrive ready to sip bottomless mimosas and enjoy endless brunch. You’ll need some fuel to dance the afternoon away with DJ Babs. NOLA Seafood and Spirits. 36 E. Cross St. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. $75.
To 2/13: Valentine’s Day Movie Night Kit
As Valentine’s fun goes, it’s hard to beat movies and goodies enjoyed with your pals or your partner. Visit Enoch Pratt’s Waverly Branch to snag sugary treats and an amorous flick for your night in. Enoch Pratt Free Library, Waverly Branch. 400 E. 33rd St. Free.
2/18: Cupid’s Undie Run
Break out your most attractive undergarments for this raunchy run through Baltimore, which raises funds to find effective treatment for those facing neurofibromatosis. Complete the trek in-person with an equally unclothed crowd, or set off on your own virtual adventure. Luckie’s Tavern. 12-4 p.m. $45.
2/18: Mortified Baltimore: Doomed Valentine’s Day
At the Creative Alliance, you’ll cackle as grownups present their most love-stricken relics of their teen years before total strangers. (Think: poetry, song lyrics, love letters, diary entries, and locker notes.) Creative Alliance. 6:30 and 9 p.m. $15-25.