Valentine’s Day in Blount County

Hearts and flowers have taken over store shelves, and love is in the air. Whether Valentine’s Day means a special date for you and a sweetie or a fun Galentines outing, Blount County has a wide range of events and activities for your holiday.

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Fancy Fun

Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to get all dolled up and dance the night away.

• Haven House, which provides healing, support, and empowerment to victims of domestic abuse, holds its annual gala fundraiser this weekend: The Illuminate the Night Gala, on Feb. 14 starting at 5:30 at the Showroom at Five Points, 1529 E. Broadway Ave. This shindig includes dinner, drinks, a live auction, and dancing. Light up the night for a great cause! Tickets are $1,800 for a table of 10 or $200 individual, and they are available by calling 865-983-6818.

• Need a refresher on how to cut a rug? Let’s Dance Ballroom is hosting a Valentine’s Day Dance, starting with a “Party Prep” class at 7 p.m. Experts and beginners alike are welcome for some fancy footwork. The dance continues until 9:30 p.m., 1605 E. Broadway Ave., Maryville. At the door, tickets are $60 per person or $85 per couple. Hors d’oeuvres and champagne will be served.

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Make and Do

For interactive fun, try a Valentine’s craft or spa activity!

• Creative Spark Studio offers a truly unique Valentine’s craft, Blacksmithing with Bryan: Hearts! Learn the basics of blacksmithing metal to create a cute heart that you could use as a pendant, key chain or ornament. Imagine your Valentine’s face when you hand them something you made yourself! With fire! The class is about 1.5-2 hours, at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15 at Creative Spark, 2009 E. Broadway Ave., Maryville. (The earlier class sold out, so act fast.) The $65 ticket (plus the booking fee) includes all the materials and instructions you need!

• Maybe you’d rather bring the heat inside an oven: Then the Sourdough Focaccia Decorating Pal-entines workshop at SoKno Bakery, 1528 E. Broadway Ave., Maryville. Your ticket ($42-52) includes a delicious 13 in. by 9 in. pan of focaccia and all the fruits, veg, and cheese you need to create artistic decoration on top. You’ll also get the option to enjoy two beverages during the workshop. Flex your creative spirit and take home a tasty treat, after sharing an evening of fun! The class starts Thursday, Feb. 13, at 6:30 p.m.

• Perhaps, the thing you want to work on this weekend isn’t a craft, but yourself. Belle Aesthetics is hosting a Galentine’s Event on Feb. 13, 47 p.m. Bring the squad and enjoy drinks, food, tattoos, lash work, vendors, and lots of prizes, giveaways, and demos! Find the self-care glam at 806 Broyles Ave., Maryville.

• For couples’ self-care, check out the Thai Massage Date Night Experience at Alchemy, 141 Cherokee Heights Dr., Maryville. On Saturday, Feb. 15, 5-7 p.m., for $30 per couple, learn hands-on techniques for relaxation and relief. You’ll enjoy the evening, and best of all, you’ll take home the skills to continue the practice on your own!

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Great Dates

Whether your perfect date is an evening with your true love or fun with your bestie, there are lots of great outings this weekend.

• Enjoy one of the most popular and timeless love stories at Maryville College with Romeo and Juliet, presented at the Clayton Center for the Arts Feb. 13-16. William Shakespeare’s tragedy of star-crossed lovers hits the Haslam Family Flexible Theater, an intimate and involving space for an intense and unruly performance! Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors or students (and free for Maryville College students and staff).

Maryville College Presents Romeo and Juliet

• Another stage performance is a little heavier on the mayhem: Mingle in Minutes and Murder! Presented by the Foothills Community Players at The Bird and the Book, 1509 E. Broadway Ave., Maryville, this love-filled whodunnit invites you, the audience, to solve a Valentine-themed murder! Interview the suspects and figure out the clues, all while enjoying food-themed for the event and a full bar. If you want to have your own Valentine’s Mingle, come early (at 6:30) to meet new folks and maybe find a new friend or romance! The doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 (with a three-course dinner) or $15 (no dinner). Email contact@foothillscommunityplayers.com for tickets or text (865) 268-3840, or check the link to reserve your space.

• Maybe you want to mingle yourself, without any drama? Quantum Matters invites you to a Singles Mingle on Feb. 14, 5-7 p.m. at the Alnwick Community Center (2146 Big Springs Rd., Maryville). They are asking for $2 at the door, and you’re invited to bring snacks or other goods to catch the eye of a potential new friend!!

• Cap off Valentine’s Weekend with some over-the-top glam to benefit local animals. Drag Bingo at The Bird and the Book (1509 E. Broadway Ave., Maryville) brings host Tyra Von Shade with performances, bingo games, and prizes, all for $15 (cash), which benefits MAARC (Maryville-Alcoa Animal Rescue Center). Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 8 p.m. You can reserve tickets by calling 865-984-4847. The bar will be open, and the kitchen is open until 8 p.m. This event is open to 18+ only!

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How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

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