Valentine’s Day events and things to do for singles

About Last Night, a storytelling show where locals share their dating disaster stories, hosts this annual anti-Valentine’s Day show, which falls fittingly on Singles Awareness Day (Feb 15). Head to Dynasty Typewriter to hear L.A. locals get onstage and share their worst breakup stories, from the humorous to horrifying. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry—or both.

Lunar New Year officially falls on February 17 this year, but there are events marking the start of the Year of the Fire Horse all month long. This Sunday, Pasadena’s USC Pacific Asia Museum rings in the Lunar New Year with a free afternoon of pan-Asian activities—and a grand reopening. In addition to lion dances, martial arts demos, Korean classical music and storytimes in the museum’s courtyard, you’ll also be able to visit the galleries for free, including the brand-new immersive exhibition “Mythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry.” And all weekend long, South Coast Botanic Garden offers activities, traditional games, a wishing tree, live music, a themed Lunar New Year photo op and specialty food and cocktails. Enjoy the lush grounds with a Zodiac Stroll, the new dragon walk or a morning tai chi class. 

There are a wealth of free, art-centered happenings across the county this Valentine’s Day, which would make for a fun solo artist date or friends hang. First up is Attune 1.0, a light and sound experience taking place simultaneously at 10 different sites on Saturday. Meant to amplify love, foster connection and inspire hope, the multi-disciplinary project will feature sound-based works by nine artists, and each site will be lit up by artist-designed sculptural installations. Locations include Barnsdall Art Park, Exposition Park, the Wende Museum in Culver City (which is hosting its own concurrent “My Sonic Valentine” event), Tongva Park, Promenade Square Park in Long Beach (part of the massive DTLB Art+Design Walk) and Altadena’s renovated Loma Alta Park. And along the L.A. River, Frogtown is hosting the latest edition of its Art Walk—dubbed “Heart Walk”—with fun activities and an “Abolish ICE Cream Social.”

Dull the pain of a broken heart with libations at Angel City Brewery, which is throwing a Renaissance faire–style anti-V-Day shindig complete with great beer, Medieval food, roaming troubadours, bawdy NC-17 ballads, circus performers and even jousting. Costumes are strongly encouraged, and the first 50 costumed guests will receive a free commemorative stein.

This year, Valentine’s Day weekend happens to coincide with Mardi Gras weekend, as well. The Original Farmers Market’s annual Mardi Gras celebration kicks off Saturday at noon with the adorable Mutti Gras Pet Parade and Costume Contest. Pups parade along the Market Plaza in costume and are judged by the crowd. The celebration continues throughout the weekend with live Zydeco and New Orleans bands. It’s the perfect accompaniment to seafood and gumbo, jumbalaya, blackened chicken, beignets, po’boys and more traditional NOLA food.

Anonymous feminist art collective the Guerrilla Girls—whose members gained notoriety for donning gorilla masks and fighting sexism in the art world—just celebrated their 40th anniversary, and the Getty Center is marking the occasion with a behind-the-scenes look at the group. See photography, protest art and the group’s famed posters, which showcase the tactics the members used to demand recognition for women and artists of color. Accompanying programming includes this drop-in feminist Valentine’s Day mail art workshop (noon–3pm), where you can craft your own activist correspondence to champion a cause or call for change.

This February 14, all three blocks of Third Street Promenade (including its alcohol-friendly “Outdoor Entertainment Zone”) will be filled with one of the largest free nightlife and music events Santa Monica has ever hosted. Expect live DJs, pop-up bars, immersive nightlife and three music stages hosted by L.A.-based collectives. There will also be plenty of themed V-Day and Mardi Gras touches.

Perfect for kids and kids at heart alike, this deep dive into one of Studio Ghibli’s most beloved films, the hand-drawn Ponyo, opens Saturday at the Academy Museum. Last year, Studio Ghibli donated original production materials to the Academy Collection, so this show will highlight those items, including art boards, posters, a Studio Ghibli animation desk and original drawings—some of which will be displayed in North America for the very first time—pairing them with immersive and interactive elements like an animation table and a play environment for kids.

Be your own Valentine and book a treatment at one of the best spas in the city—the ultimate show of self-love. Our favorite luxury hotel spas and day spas below not only impress with high-quality, experienced masseuses and treatment offerings, but also feature serene interiors—and in some cases, ocean views—that set the scene for some well-deserved “me time.” Relax, unwind and be pampered from head to toe. 

Who better to love on Valentine’s Day (or any day, really) than yourself? Peruse the Pleasure Chest’s aisles of toys, adult flicks and other titillating treasures and treat yourself to something sexy, then take yourself and your new purchase home to bed. Studies prove that self-lovin’ leads to a longer, healthier life (which means more time for self-lovin’, and on it goes).