Love is not lost this February. in fact, it’s the season to celebrate it! Wilmington and surrounding areas will replace cliché Hallmark cards with more action-packed Valentine’s events, hopefully. We have quite a few fun-filled opportunities perfect for those who adore music, comedy, food, drinks and, of course, good company.
The Language of Love
Historical Society of the Lower Cape Fear
Latimer House, 126 S. 3rd Street
Tickets: $25 • 910-762-0492
Go back in time on February 9th with Colleen Griffiths and Florist Larry Epps as they present and demonstrates the role that flowers played in the Victorian Age. “Men would give women flowers to wear, like poppies, and each had a different meaning,” Griffiths says.
She will also teach “parlor games,” which was how men and women would communicate with fans in hand as a sign language. Griffiths explains, “The placement and movement of the fan slowly across the cheek means I love you, whereas a shut fan means go away, and behind the head with an extended finger means goodbye.”
There will be a display of authentic Victorian valentines from the 19th century (1880s and 1890s) along with a collection of the Victorian fans that date back to the Civil War. To keep the Victorian Age alive, afternoon tea and light food will be served to drink and nibble on.
Make Valentine’s Day Cards
Teacher’s Aid, 831 S. Kerr Ave.
Free • 910-799-0101
Keep things on the simple side with “Craft Saturdays”at Teacher’s Aid, a free event on the 9th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. perfect for family-time celebrations! Enjoy making Valentine cards using cutouts, stickers and other supplies provided by Teacher’s Aid. The goal of Craft Saturdays is to bring families together and get kids active in arts and crafts.
Jocelyn Walson says, “We bring products from our store that offer educational purposes, [which] help develop fine motor skills (like using scissors), creativity and imagination.”
E-mail teachersaidnc@gmail.com to learn more.
Valentine’s Musical Revue: A Fine Line Between Love and Hate
19 S. 10th Street
$15-$10 • www.theatrewilmington.com
On February 10th TheatreNOW presents “Valentine’s Musical Revue: A Fine Line (between Love and Hate),” from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This is a cabaret performance with a jazz brunch, featuring Nicole Thompson and accompanied by Jeff Simmons on the piano. Thompson will sing, interact with the audience and give insight behind her songs.
Audiences really will get the “Love and Hate” part, as Zach Hanner, artistic director says. “[They] are straight-up love songs and then you get the ‘you did me wrong’ songs,” he quips. “The perspective that musicians have on love is really reflected in their music.”
Thompson will explore the love cycle while touching on pop, jazz and other musical theatre favorites. The show also includes a three-course meal with fruit, followed by options of chicken and grits, scrambled eggs with crab and spinach, French toast casserole or Italian Strata. The finalé comes with strawberry shortcake. Tickets are $15 for children 12 and under or $20 for general admission.
Over 50’s Valentine’s Dance
Senior Center • 2222 S College Rd
$5 plus finger food • 910-371-5368
The New Hanover Senior Resource Center will be holding the St. Valentine’s Over 50’s Dance on February 12th. Contrary to the title, all ages are welcome. Live music by Diane and Tony will guarantee to have people on their fee enjoying the waltz, fox trot, swing, rumba, tango, cha-cha, line dances and more.
Robin Gugan of the Senior Center says, “We will have a snowball mixer where three couples start, the whistle blows, the three couples go pick another couple, the whistle blows, and couples continue being brought in.”
The event lasts from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is $5, and attendees are asked to contribute a finger food or 2-liter drink.
Live at Birdland
Kenan Auditorium, UNCW
$22 GA, $5 students
www.uncw.edu/presents
The Arts in Action Performance Series at UNCW presents “Live at Birdland” on Valentine’s Day, Thursday, February 14th. At 7 p.m. the Kenan Auditorium will be transformed into a nightclub jazz scene. The Birdland Big Band consists of the finest jazz musicians “comprised of the country’s finest top-shelf talent,” many who have dominated the Broadway stage, and is showing up at performing arts centers all over America. Director Tommy Igoe has created a band that will be in the lead for Grammy awards as they play world-renowned music.
Igoe says, “The world doesn’t need another good big band, it needs something unforgettable, spectacular—something to bring a brand-new audience to this incredible art form.”
The Birdland Big Band will be playing classics from luminaries such as Sting, Herbie Hancock and Lennon/McCartney, alongside traditional jazz pieces.
Silver Coast Winery & Tasting Room
Wine and Chocolate pairing and tastings
February 16th and 17th
Tickets: $15 • 910-287-2800
For folks who missed the Wilmington Chocolate and Wine Festival, cry no more! A second rendition will be held at the Silver Coast Winery (SCW) and Tasting Room on two separate days.
Sharon Alston, wine club coordinator, forewarns, “There are 40 people allowed for each seating at the winery [on February 16th], not quite that many in Southport [on February 17th]; we usually have to turn people away.”
Albert Gomes, who started the pairing at the winery, has been running the event for the past eight years. He works with different chocolatiers annually, and stumbled upon The Newfoundland Chocolate Company while visiting St. Johns.
“What I like is they are single destination chocolates, meaning the beans are harvested in a single area,” Gomes explains.
This year’s chocolate comes from Peru and Tanzania. The pairing consists of two wines per chocolate. Cabernet Sauvignon and White Merlot will be paired with the chocolate from Peru, which is 65 percent cocoa. Rubio and Holiday Red will be paired with the chocolate from Tanzania, which is 75 percent cocoa.
Gomes notes, “People will see how wines impact the same chocolate and how one chocolate can influence two wines.”
It is a smaller, more intimate setting and takes place February 16th at the winery, 6680 Barbeque Rd., Ocean Isle Beach, with seatings at noon, 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Southport event in the Tasting Room takes place on February 17th at 105 S. Howe Street, with seatings at 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Interested parties must reserve their space ahead of time by calling SCW at 910-287-2800 or the Tasting Room at 910-777-5151. For more information visit: www.silvercoastwinery.com
Valentine Carriage Ride
Springbrook Farms • (910) 251-8889
Foot of Market at Water Street
Downtown Wilmington always has a horse and trolley touring its cobblestone streets and sharing vast knowledge about the history of our town. For Valentine’s Day, folks will be treated to a more romantic tour with Springbrook Farms’ moonlight carriage ride for two. With a private French evening coach, WHAT WILL THEY LEARN?
The Valentine’s package comes with a box of chocolates and a rose. Starting on February 9th and ending the 17th. Folks can book reservations by phone or visit www.horsedrawntours.com/id2.html.
She Loves Me
Opera House Theatre Company
Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St.
Tickets are $25 • 910-632-2285
Deemed one of the most charming musicals ever written “She Loves Me,” directed and choreographed by Ray Kennedy, the play is based on the love stories “The Shop Around the Corner” and “You’ve Got Mail.” With the book by Joe Masteroff and music from Jerry Bock, the romantic comedy revolves around two perfume clerk’s secret online relationship. Fall in love with the play while watching the characters unexpectedly fall in love with each other.
Opera House Theatre Company has a cast of veterans sure to make audiences swoon over this “just in time for Valentine’s Day” production. Included are: Dylan Fowler, Alyssa Dunaway, Caitlin Becka, Bob Workmon, Tré Cotton, Dan Morris and JJ Niemann. It opens Wednesday the 20th and runs through Sunday the 25th. All shows start at 8 p.m. except Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Tickets are available over phone or by visiting www.thalianhall.org.
