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Now that the Super Bowl has passed, it seems like everyone is trying to skip straight ahead to Valentine’s Day. Well, dear readers, we’d be remiss not to point out that there is in fact a full week of fun and entertainment ahead and you certainly don’t have to be part of a happy couple to enjoy it!
So before you break out the glitter and red construction paper, here are some of our favorite events happening this week, no matter where your passions lie….
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For Animal Lovers
This weekend is host to a bevy of fun and cool critter-related events no animal aficionado will want to miss!
First up, on Saturday, February 9 EagleFest comes back to TeaTown! Celebrating our national bird’s return to the Hudson Valley after coming close to extinction, the conservation celebration will feature scopes to view the wild bald eagles, bird-of-prey shows, fun kids’ activities, and plenty of food trucks. More than 25 environmental organizations will also be on hand — and yes, the tents are all heated!
Also on Saturday, the Sheldrake Environmental Center in Larchmont will be hosting Nature CSI for littler lovers of our fine furry and feathered friends. Kids will take a look at “crime” scenes straight out of the field guide to determine who done it, who had it done to them, and who might have been witness to the events in question…. Space is limited, so registering well in advance is encouraged.
Lastly, while it might be a bit farther away, the Audubon of Greenwich is hosting a Valentine’s Day Family Play Date on Sunday, February 10 for especially young animal lovers. Bring your whole family to meet live animals, make some V-Day themed crafts, and enjoy stories, games, and more. It’s only $8 to RSVP, but Audubon members get that discounted to $5 and kids under 2 get in for free!
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For Human Lovers
Strange as it seems, the way we feel about an adorable cat on the Internet or a tiny Pomeranian on the street is how some people feel about other humans. (Weird, right?) Anyway, if finding a human companion to spend Valentine’s with is something you’d like for next year, try one of these fun social gatherings to meet that special someone.
February 7 marks this month’s First Thursday Gallery Hop down in Yonkers, featuring new exhibitions at Blue Door Art Center, Philipse Manor Hall, the Riverfront Art Gallery, Warburton Galerie, and Urban Studio Unbound. Guests will also be able to take advantage of a 10% food and drink discount at participating local restaurants like X2O, Dolphin, Yonkers Brewing Co., Café Hudson, La Bella Havana, and more. All told, ample opportunities to bump into fellow art and culture lovers!
Friday night, on February 7, ArtsWestchester in White Plains is hosting a time for people to log off, put their phones away, and meet — dare we say it — IRL! It’ll be good, old-fashioned speed dating where instead of right-swiping 57 dudes holding up fish they caught on vacation you’ll go through a series of seven-minute mini-dates. All forms of love are welcome, and your $10 admission comes with two free drink tickets, so even if you don’t get anyone’s number you can still make friends and have a good time! *Edit – Apparently not enough dudely art lovers signed up to even the gender ratios, so this event has been replaced by a repeat of last month’s wildly successful paint night. (Drinks still very much included.)*
If you do already have that special someone — and you’d like to make them a special treat this Valentine’s — New York-Presbyterian Hospital is hosting a special cooking class at the Chef Peter X. Kelly Teaching Kitchen at the hospital’s Dempsey House facility in Cortland Manor. Learn how to make cocoa-dusted chocolate truffles, flourless chocolate cake, healthy chocolate fudge (hey, they’re a hospital!), and more. You can register for the class by phone or email, and the cost is just $15, way less than you’d end up spending on a rinky-dink box of Russell Stover….
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For Those Who Love Themselves and Their Friends
Lastly, if you’re more in the mood Thursday to celebrate yourselves and the friends in your lives, The Jefferson Valley Mall in Yorktown Heights is hosting a Galentine’s Day Sip ‘n’ Shop! Presented by Macaroni Kid of Northern Westchester, there’ll be a fashion show spotlighting local community-engaged women, complimentary paraffin hand treatments, live music, a mystery game (with prizes, naturally), and even tasty food from local restaurants and craft cocktails from the mall’s Peekskill Brewery pop-up shop. Best of all: It’s free!