A Guide to Valentine's Events in Scotland

Whether you're seeking date ideas, anti-Valentine's events or general distractions from the fact it's the most sickly day of the year, Valentine's weekend 2016 happens to be jammy-dodger packed with wicked events from Edinburgh to Glasgow...

Feature by Ellie Robert and Rosie McKean | 10 Feb 2016

Romantic film screenings, retro roller discos, anti-Valentine's comedy clubs and flower arranging workshops; Scotland has proved itself quite the overachiever this Valentine's Day. Take our hand, we'll guide you through the top Valentine's events Edinburgh and Glasgow have to offer between 12-14 Feb.

Edinburgh

If you’re aiming for the theme of sickeningly romantic, The Secret Herb Garden is your go-to. On 13 Feb they’re hosting a Valentine’s Day Flower Workshop. You’ll learn to create ‘Spring in a tin’ with expert flower arranger, Emma from the Flower Bothy. Think the iconic scene from Ghost, except with flowers instead of pottery (11am, tickets £12).

However, you don’t need to travel to a remote garden centre to escape the Clintons balloons. Shelter in Summerhall where the Edinburgh Student Arts Festival is throwing a day of events entitled For The Love of Science in collaboration with ASCUS, an organisation of artists and scientists who want to bring together the arts and science (aw, cute). Taking place on Valentine’s Day itself, the mini-festival will feature talks, workshops, speed dating, live performance, a market and a big old party at the end of it all. Looks like love really will be the drug this year. Sun 14 Feb, all day from 11am, prices and times vary.

If you didn’t already catch black comedy The Lobster (pictured) in cinemas late last year, Filmhouse are screening it again as a Valentine’s special, helpfully highlighting the true perils of not being in a relationship. The intellectuals among us can stick around after for a discussion called Philosophy of Love, which will pose questions along the lines of ‘why do we love some people and not others?’, ‘what is love, anyway?’ and ‘why on earth am I still single?’ Well, maybe not that last one… Sun 14 Feb, 3.40pm £8-10.



Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz in The Lobster, showing at Filmhouse


Andrew Usher and Co. have picked V-Day as the designated relaunch date of regular Speakeasy Sundays event. Their Valentine’s Speakeasy involves a two course meal, a live swing band, a swing dancing lesson and most importantly £5 cocktails. Bring along your significant other or your significant flatmate to have a good old boogie. 14 Feb, 6pm, tickets £40 per couple.

There will also be copious dancing at Wee Red Bar on the Friday and Saturday before Valentine’s Day. So much so that you might have to take Sunday off (shame). Friday night, Hot ‘N’ Busted will be returning to the Wee Red Bar with a Valentine’s special; expect the likes of Barry White and lots of songs with ‘sexy’ in the title. Bonus feature: a polaroid kissing booth where you can capture memories you’d probably rather forget (12 Feb, 10pm, £3-5). And on the Saturday, Edinburgh locals The Valveetahs will be rocking and rolling like there’s no tomorrow. 13 Feb, 7pm, £5.

Down at Sneaky Pete’s on Saturday, Teesh No.31 is back by popular demand to abate the inevitable arrival of V-Day. There’s going to be an ‘all-you-can-eat Valentine’s buffet of tunes’ (sounds sickly) and an alternative Valentine’s party featuring DJ Cupid and DJ Cheers. 13 Feb, 11pm, £5.

Sticking with the anti-Valentine’s theme, The Stand comedy club is hosting an Anti-Valentine’s Day in both of their central belt outposts, featuring folk funny enough to help you forget the fact you might perhaps die alone. 14 Feb, 8.30pm, £1-6.

Glasgow

Though V-Day is typically a celebration of the lustier breed of the L-word, bromance is just as important. Grab your pals and head to the GFT on Friday, they’re showing Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure as part of the Glasgow Youth Film Festival. 12 Feb, 11pm, £7-8.50.

For something a little more risqué, try Enterteasement; a monthly variety night in The Admiral. With stand-up comedy and magic from award-winning local talent, as well as some internationally acclaimed burlesque acts, it’s a quirky alternative to the awkward sit-down meal where you can’t tell if it’s rude to eat your pizza with your hands or not. 14 Feb, 8pm, free.

If the entirety of the Valentines Day concept has you disillusioned, check out Stereo where popular club night PUSH IT are hosting an aptly themed night called What’s Luv?, soundtracked by all female hip-hop and R&B. 13 Feb, 11pm, £4.

Nice ‘n’ Sleazy are playing host to an all day session for Fuzzkill Records as they release a compilation of love song covers. It’s a charity record and the proceeds are split between Greater Maryhill Foodbank and Refugee Action, a perfect opportunity to give a little love where it really belongs rather than splashing out on a six-foot-tall teddy and a candy thong. Tickets are cheap, and in return you’ll get a free tape and see a showcase from some of the sexiest names on the independent music scene; Halfrican, Sweaty Palms and Fruit Tones to mention but a few. 13 Feb, 5pm, £4-9.



Halfrican, playing at Fuzzkill Records' Valentine's all-dayer


Annie Mac’s High 5 Tour rolls into town on Valentines day, hosted by Sub Club and costing only a fiver a ticket. As the last gig of the five-date tour, it’s guaranteed to be a big one.

Saint Luke’s is showing the Tim Burton classic Edward Scissorhands with live music accompaniment, guaranteeing a great atmosphere in the renovated church setting. Dress-up is optional, but anticipate a crowd of Edward/young Robert Smith lookalikes. 14 Feb, 8pm, £5.

Philanthrobeats are throwing a V-Day fundraiser party in Proud Mary to help aid victims of Female Genital Mutilation. They estimate that over 3,000 survivors live in Scotland, and donate 75% of their proceeds to FGM survivors while the remaining 25% goes to help fund Philanthrobeats community support work. 13 Feb, 11pm, £5.

And last but certainly not least, the folk at Rollerstop are limbering up ready for their Valentine's Masquerade Roller Disco Ball with a half-hour partner skating lesson beforehand. It’s some good old innocent fun, and falling on your butt is far less awkward and a ton more fun than sitting in an high-class restaurant you found on a last minute Groupon Valentine’s deal, not knowing which fork to use first. 13 Feb, 7.30pm, £8-11.