Five Valentine's Day Ideas Under $50 That Aren't a Set Menu Dinner
Celebrate love (or just have fun) without breaking the bank.
We're not quite sure how it happened but Valentine's Day is once again on the horizon. Whether you're part of the group that considers V Day a corporate conspiracy or are totally into the opportunity to get all unashamedly romantic, coming up with a creative way to celebrate can be a tall order. To help, we've rounded up five ideas guaranteed to make this V Day memorable — without breaking the bank. So, whether you're with a date, the mates, or gloriously solo, you can kiss the cliched set menu dinner goodbye and do something different.
Silversalt courtesy of Artbank
CELEBRATE L-O-V-E WITH A FREE EXHIBITION ABOUT THE FOUR LETTER WORD
For art-lovers — and romantics — this is the one for you. Head down to Waterloo for The Four Letter Word: Artbank's latest exhibition celebrating love in all its forms. Covering topics from intimacy and desire to vulnerability and self-expression, you (and your special someone) can explore 25 artworks from Artbank's collection and select loans curated by Sophia Cai. If you're happy to have you date night on V Day eve, you can also catch a free love letter reading at 6pm on Thursday, February 13 — RSVP over here.
PICNIC BY STARLIGHT IN CENTENNIAL PARK
If there's anything more romantic than a picnic under the stars, we've yet to find it. So it's a good thing that Centennial Park's annual Valentine's Day stargazing night is returning this year. This isn't your usual spot-the-Southern Cross affair, though — professionals will be on-hand to show you what you should be looking for. Tickets are $19 each and allow you to share a telescope with your special someone. There'll be plenty of space to throw down a rug so pick up a picnic and a nice bottle of wine, and set up for the night. Or, if you run out of time, goods will be available on the night.
Bit
CHECK OUT THE MARDI GRAS FILM FESTIVAL
Want to go to the cinema but don't want to sit through another heteronormative rom com? Check out the annual Mardi Gras Film Festival instead and choose between three queer flicks that are premiering for the first time. For those looking for a laugh, there's The Shiny Shrimps a French flick that sees a former champion swimmer overcome his prejudice as the coach for a flamboyant water polo team. Fans of horror and 90s nostalgia can check out Bit, where a young transgender woman finds her place in LA among a group of lesbian vampires. Finally, romantics can go see Season of Love, a Christmas rom-com following six queer women navigating the ups and downs of relationships. Tickets are $19.90 each and you can catch all three at Event Cinemas George Street.
GET LOST IN THIS IRIDESCENT INSTALLATION AT THE GROUNDS
If you're angling for a smooch with someone special this Valentine's Day, you might as well line up a spectacularly photogenic backdrop for the occasion. And we doubt you'll find any quite as OTT as the one that awaits at The Grounds of Alexandria. The lush greenery-filled venue is turning the charm up to 100 for lovers this romance season, unveiling a shimmery laneway installation that's sure to sweep just about anyone off their feet. Sticking around for only a limited time, it's decked out in a rainbow of iridescent hues and comes complete with a neon-lit kissing booth to spark that ol' romantic spirit. But the real theatre happens at 9am and 11am each day, when a bunch of glistening bubbles are sent cascading over the entire space. Brownie points for aesthetics, right there.
INDULGE YOUR INNER KIDS AND PLAY SUPER SMASH BROS
Feel like a kid again by heading out for a night of classic video games from the 80s and 90s — without paying a cent. The team at 1989 in Newtown is offering everything from Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles to Street Fighter II — which would usually cost $1 a game — for free on Valentine's Day. You'll just have to pay for your pizza and drinks, the latter of which includes some quirky brews — think gelato ale and watermelon pilsner — and will be cheaper during happy hour from 5–7pm. Or, if you're not near Newtown, hit up B. Lucky & Sons in Moore Park or Archie Brothers in Alexandria — both are open until midnight on Friday nights.
Top image: B Lucky & Sons
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