Sweet & Spicy Valentine’s Day Events in Toronto

Valentine’s Day is upon Toronto once again in a flurry of well… flurries. That said, how can you let the weather get you down when there’s so much love in the air, chocolate to be eaten, and pink champagne to be drunk. (Read: What New Year’s resolutions?) That said, if you’re single or you and your partner don’t really like the traditional candlelit dinner route, this time of year can be the pits. To help keep things interesting for everybody, we’ve rounded up the best Valentine’s Day 2014 events happening in Toronto this February…

Toronto Pre-Valentine’s Speed Dating – February 12th
Don’t have a date yet for Valentine’s Day? Don’t worry, there’s still time! Single in the City is hosting an evening of fun, cocktails, and rapid romantic meet-and-greets! Remember to pace yourself… and we’re not just talking about the cocktails.

#LoveAHeart – February 13th
Best way to find a date for Valentine’s Day? Buy them! #LoveAHeart will once again be raising funds for The Heart and Stroke Foundation by auctioning off some of Toronto’s sexiest bachelors and bachelorettes.

V-DAY: “A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant, and a Prayer” – February 13th & 14th
From Eve Ensler (writer of The Vagina Monologues) and Mollie Doyle comes a collection of monologues to break open, expose and examine violence against women at all levels. All proceeds will go to women’s shelter Nellie’s in Toronto and the V-Day Spotlight Campaign. 

Valentine’s Day at Second City Toronto – February 13th to 16th
All is fair in love and LOLs at Second City, where they’ll be hosting four consecutive nights of comedy shows in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Expect lots of laughs along with drink specials during the show and restaurant and hotel deals for after!

5th Annual Be Mein Valentine @ The Gladstone Hotel – February 13th & 14th
Skin Tight Outta Sight, Toronto’s longest-running burlesque troupe, will be bringing you a show that could be straight from Weimar Republic Berlin. In that tradition, there’ll be plenty of sexual outlaws, ladies of ill repute, and men of gender ambiguity. Ja? Ja!

Bond Affair Dinner Series – February 14th 
Like surprises? This dinner series features a surprise exclusive location (it may be a museum, gallery, or estate) that’s shrouded in secrecy until the revealing only two days before the event. Dinner includes four courses with perfect pairings from a 5-star restaurant, concierge, guided tour, and a Bond-themed gift bag. Be ready to don your best suit and tie, or ball gown, this Valentine’s Day.

The Love Party @ The Belljar Café – February 14th
Have you been to an interactive love party? We imagine it’s probably something like Eyes Wide Shut or the kind of thing people only do in Europe. Either way, The Love Party will have matchmaking services, love and lust potions (i.e. the evening’s specialty cocktails), tarot card readings, and, of course, lots of playing, dancing, and drinking.

Casablanca with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra – February 14th& 15th
Humphrey Bogart’s Casablanca is about as classic as romantic films come. How can something so perfect be improved? With the Toronto Symphony Orchestra playing Max Steiner’s famed score live throughout the screening. Yeah, things just got real.

Single Lady Valentine Dinner @ The Beaver – February 14th
All my single ladies… and single gentlemen and respectful couples. Head down to the Beaver for a dinner of red wine and nachos (FYI, our two favourite food groups) while host Michelle plays an all-female artist playlist. This is an anti-Valentine-Valentine’s-Dinner (read: Queen West, d’uh), aka most Saturdays with our girlfriends. Absolutely no PDA allowed.

Valentine’s Date Night at Pawsitively Pets – February 14th
Has every sitter been booked for Valentine’s Day since last March? These things happen. Drop your kids (aged 4 to 10) off at Pawsitively Pets from 6pm to 9:30pm so you and your sweetie can have dinner somewhere without chicken nuggets and crayons as the main attractions. Your mini-selves will be entertained all evening playing with animals and learning to be good people in the process. So much winning happening right here.

Swift Ones @ Sneaky Dees – February 14th
All you need to know is it’s at Sneaky Dees, there’s going to be a kissing booth, balloons, music and tons of alcohol. Ten points to Gryffindor!

Valentine’s Day Cupcake Decorating Class – February 14th & 15th
Masters of all things cute and edible, Le Dolci will be having two nights of Valentine’s Day themed cupcake decorating classes. Gentlemen, don’t discount this one as she will be way more impressed with pastries you made and decorated yourself than a box of chocolates you got at the drug store. #FACT

First Comes Love @ The Toronto Zoo – February 14th and 15th
You and your mate can learn about the birds, the bees, and how all the other animals do love and parenting at the Toronto Zoo’s First Comes Love. The educational evening will include a chance for you to interact with some cool critters, tour the Reproductive Labs, and have a romance-inspired dinner.

Porn Pyjama Party – February 15th
Have a little bit of a Valentine’s Day hangover? Disenfranchised with love? Stay in your PJs and head down to Queen West’s favourite co-operative sex shop, Come as You Are for a porn pyjama party! Watch 2013’s hottest hits while you discuss what you see, throw some popcorn, and have a generally rowdy movie night with sex nerds. This is off the charts on the Kinsey Cool Scale we’d say.

Let us know if we’ve missed any events that are on your radar! Comment below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.