9 Great Things For Single People To Do On Valentine's Day Weekend

By Chicagoist_Guest in Arts & Entertainment on Feb 12, 2016 5:24PM

By Sarah Gouda

Let’s get this out of the way now: being single on Valentine’s Day sucks. We’re not going to pretend it’s not depressing when the most you get out of the holiday is an “I love you!” text from your mom. Lucky for us, though, we live in a city full of endless distractions, places to meet-cute, and calorie-dense foods to smother our feelings in. Whether you’re looking to blow off some steam or track down the one you accidentally left-swiped, there’s plenty to do on V-Day to remind you why you haven’t traded in your independence just yet. Without further ado, here are the best places to be single in Chicago this weekend.

Best If You’re Still Getting Over Someone

Valentine’s Day Karaoke at Beauty Bar
Sunday at 8 p.m., $5 cover

Beauty Bar, the always-fun dance spot inspired by the hair shops of the late sixties, knows that there is a certain type of catharsis that only a haunting karaoke performance can provide. That’s why they’ve partnered with independent literary festival Chicago Zine Fest to bring you a night of amateur song and dance hosted by the “KJ mega duo,” complete with drink specials and manicure stations. Whether you’re all in on “Since U Been Gone” or more of an “I can’t make you love me” type, you’ll be surrounding by like-minded people down for a good time. Proceeds benefit the Chicago Zine Fest.

Beauty Bar is located at 1444 W. Chicago Ave.

Best If You’re On The Prowl

Drinks and dancing at Danny’s Tavern
Anytime, no cover

It’s a scientific fact that every person on earth looks at least 45 percent hotter when alight in the low glow of Danny’s Tavern—the cozy Bucktown bar basically functions as a real life Instagram filter. Here the drinks are strong, the DJs play vinyl records, and strangers actually talk to each other. With a perfectly tiny dance floor and plenty of corners for intimate conversation, this is the ideal place to meet the next person you’ll sorta date. But bring cash! They're cash only.

Danny’s Tavern is located at 1951 W. Dickens Ave.

Best If Food Is Love

The Chili Synthesizer Cook-Off at the Empty Bottle
Sunday at 7 p.m., $5 cover

Ward off any potential feelings of emptiness by staying uncomfortably full throughout the day whose name we shall not speak. The easiest way to do that? Head over to the annual Chili Synthesizer Cook-Off, hosted by the Empty Bottle. There, a bunch of musicians will present their best meat-and-bean concoction to guests and perform a song inspired by their crockpot masterpiece. It’s up to you to crown the king of the event.

The Empty Bottle is located at 1035 N. Western Ave.

Best If You Like Hypothermia For Some Reason

Cupid Undies Run at John Barleycorn
Saturday at noon, $55 entry

You may not think that stripping down to your skivvies and raising money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation have much in common, but you’d be wrong. The Cupid Undies Run begins in Wrigleyville with a one-mile jog alongside a bunch of near-naked potential mates and ends with a party attended by aforementioned potential mates—plus you can feel good knowing that it’s all in an effort to help kids in need. Run solo or get a team together—for each friend that signs up, you get $25 towards prize and they get 25% off their registration fee.

John Barleycorn is located at 3524 N. Clark St.

Best If You Need to Day Drink

Party Noire at The Promontory
Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., no cover

The Party Noire series was created by the incredibly cool trio Nick Adler, Lauren Ashe, and Chicago DJ Rae Chardonnay as a space for black people—specifically, black women—to have fun, connect, and share experiences. This week, DJ Gemini Jones joins in, mixing sultry beats that will have you feeling yourself in a major way. Plus, the food at The Promontory, especially the lamb burger, is so good.

The Promontory is located at 5311 S. Lake Park Avenue.

Best If You Need to Heal From The Horrors of Online Dating

#DateMe: An OKCupid Experiment at Up Comedy Club
Saturday at 8 and 11 p.m. and Sunday at 7 and 10 p.m., $55 a ticket

Commiserate about the good, the bad and the scary bad of online dating with the talented improvisers of Second City. The premise: eight “undateable” fake profiles were posted onto a dating site, pursued by real people, and now the subsequent interactions serve as fodder for a relatable show on the intersection of technology and romance. It’s a hilarious night and the perfect way to kick off a galentine’s get-together, or a night of tender bromance.

Up Comedy Club is located at 230 W. North Ave.

Best If You Want To Feel Fancy

A fancy cocktail night at the bar at the Peninsula
Anytime, a lot of money

Treating yourself to a night at the Peninsula is a great way to make yourself feel richer and more important than usual. Isn’t that what love is about anyway? Opt out of sweatpants this Sunday and head downtown to absorb some fabulousness by osmosis at this plush, leathered out lounge. The classic bar, replete with scotch flights and whiskies from rare distilleries, is the perfect excuse to include a bit of luxury in your #selfcare routine.

The Peninsula is located at 108 E. Superior St.

Best If You Need To Remember the Simpler Times

Folkified at Bub City
Sunday at noon, no cover

Bub City is loud—very loud—which can be useful when you’re trying to forget what day it is. Gorge on some barbecue and sit back as you enjoy the musical stylings of Folkified, a Naperville-based band that “folks up” all your favorite songs. A great option for groups who’ve been friends so long it’d be creepy to consider each other dating material.

Bub City is located at 435 N. Clark St.

Best If You Want To Escape The Confines of Reality

Some light reading at The Seminary Co-Op Bookstore
Anytime, not a lot of money

Just because you’ve chosen to not love a human doesn’t mean that inanimate objects are off the table. They’re always there for you, especially at the historic Seminary Co-Op Bookstore, a beloved refuge for Hyde Park’s literature-obsessed. The books here range from utterly abstract theory to novels with plots—and it’s community owned, which gives the whole space a permanently chill vibe. You’ll wonder where the day went.

The Seminary Co-Op Bookstore is located at 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave.

Sarah Gouda is a writer living in Roscoe Village. Please follow her on Twitter.