Eugene will transform into a mecca of entertainment Valentine’s Day, bursting at the seams with everything from an independent film festival to a night at the symphony. The local arts scene will offer something for everyone Feb. 14, whether students will be flying solo or stuck to their sweeties like glue.
Foolscap Books, located at 780 Blair Blvd., will host Valentine’s Night Out, a colorful event catering both to couples and the unattached.
“It’s going to be a sort of romantic evening,” proprietress Marietta Bonaventure said. “We’re just going to make it look beautiful and romantic. It’s a safe place for singles, as well.”
Bonaventure said the event begins at 9 p.m. — to give people a chance to go out to dinner first. A swirl of music, dance and poetry will set the Valentine’s Day mood. Local tango band Mood Area 52 is slated to perform its traditional and original tango music, followed by an erotic poetry open mic session. Bonaventure said everyone is welcome to participate, and poets can sign up any time.
“You never know what to expect,” Bonaventure said. “People read stuff that they would not read at a normal reading.”
The night out will also feature chair massage and an “Altar to Aphrodite,” as well as love potions and aphrodisiac truffles for sale. Admission will be a $4 to $6 sliding scale.
Cafe Paradiso will also offer an intimate atmosphere for lovers and loners, with Trio Slavej performing at 8 p.m. The group, composed of two University faculty members and a University student from Bulgaria, plays Balkan folk music from Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania, as well as the Roma people of the region.
Carol Silverman, associate professor of cultural anthropology and folklore, performs vocals with Trio Slavej. She said the event will be appropriate for Valentine’s Day.
“The repertoire that we do is very much based on love themes,” Silverman said.
She added that the song’s tones range from jubilation to disappointment.
“You kind of have the whole spectrum,” Silverman said.
Silverman said the performance will include lively dancing, and the show is for people of all ages. The price is $7 general admission or $5 with a student ID card.
Film lovers can make a date with the Valentine’s Day Love/Hate Screening at My House, located at 115 W. Broadway. The open screening is free and will include movies under 10 minutes long, created by community members about their love/hate relationships, with an additional viewing of artist Martha Colburn’s visual montages. In conclusion, Dennis Driscoll will play folk songs that My House said will “make even the most lonely of us feel loved.”
Romance will also abound in the Chinese Film Series’ “Comrades, Almost A Love Story.” The 1996 film was named best picture in the Hong Kong Film Awards and has English subtitles. Students looking for a sweet Valentine’s deal can see it free at 4 p.m. in 115 Pacific Hall.
Students planning a slightly more expensive love fest can head over to the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. The Eugene Symphony Valentine Special will feature the glamorous, eclectic musical stylings of Pink Martini. Tickets are $24 and $30.
Among the myriad of other Valentine’s day options is WOW Hall’s St. Valentine’s Day with folk bands Strangefolk and Ancestor Radio. The show begins at 8:30 p.m. at 291 W. Eighth Ave., and students can listen to their hearts’ content for $10 in advance or $8 at the door. The Wild Duck Music Hall is just a hop, skip and a jump away at 169 W. Sixth Ave., where Derek Trucks and Tony Furtado will serenade 21-and-over audience members at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance at $17 at the door.
The above list only scratches the surface of local Valentine’s Day entertainment offerings. Students can find a flavor that suits them among Eugene’s decadent fare.