February is hitting us hard, we are just getting over the Christmas and New Year festivities, and a lot of us have kickstarted the year with our resolutions that we may or may not have kept, not forgetting the month that is January that feels like an age before payday arrives! So after getting through the end of all that, what better way to celebrate the upcoming holiday of Valentine’s, then finding something fun to do and loving ourselves instead of the usual wining and dining!
Whether you are in a blossoming romance, or living your best single life there’s something for everyone in Chester to enjoy over this season! Check out some of the finds in the city we have sourced for you below!
Get Creative!
Get your creative juices flowing and make something that is beautiful and that you can love throughout the year! Whether it be a memento that you can take away, or just the memory of a great and wholesome day / night out make sure you grab it with both arms and embrace it! Check out some of the creative workshops we have found that are happening over Valentine’s.
Glass Deva – Glass Workshop
You can create some beautiful pieces at Glass Deva and the staff are on hand to make you feel welcome and guide you through the process! You can make everything from seasonal decorations, to framed pictures, coasters, engraved boxes and even design jewellery! Whether you go with your other half and make something memorable for one another, or grab your friends and book a group session to make something you can take home it’s a great activity to take part in and means you have something you can love at the end of it! The workshop usually lasts up to 2 hours and is £20 per person. You can even unwind with some fizz that you can take yourself in the evenings, making sure you aren’t spending an arm and a leg on overpriced alcohol because of one evening that is supposedly different to every other. Head here to book your workshop today: https://www.glassdeva.co.uk/workshops
Galentine’s Night – North Light
This is one for the ladies! Grab your girls, get glammed up (for me this usually results in jeans and a nice top after many arguments of what is even classed as ‘glam’ anymore) and get down to North Light near Chester Market to make some beautiful wreaths! On arrival you are offered a prosecco and there will be delicious nibbles on offer too! Not only can you make a night of this but you will be taking home with you a stunning wreath that you will have created whilst sipping on some cocktails and catching up over light bites! The wreath making starts at 7pm and is anticipated to run until 11pm so it is an all night activity, and it’s the day before Valentine’s on the 13th February, so you don’t have to sit amongst all the loved up couples whilst trying to celebrate all things Galentine’s, and can still spend Valentine’s with your other half if you wish too! Tickets are £40 and can be booked here – https://www.designmynight.com/uk/bars/chester/north-light/galentines-wreath-making?t=tickets
Feel the love with LUSH!
LUSH are even offering a small workshop where you can create your own love letter bath bomb, bursting with skin-softening fair trade cocoa butter, coconut milk powder and a blend of essential oils to give you a sweet creamy strawberry sundae scent! Although the workshop may not take as long as others that we have found, you can make this a fun activity to do before grabbing a bite to eat, or if you are on a tight schedule it is something that can slot in to your diary quite easily amongst the other fun things you have planned! Either way, you are walking away with something that is going to show your skin how much you love it and it is going to love you for it too! Only costing £4 this is not one to be missed and can be booked here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lush-chester-valentines-bath-bomb-making-tickets-800016379527 Slots that are offered for this are: 14/02/2024 at 11am, 17/02/2024 at 11am and 3pm, 20/02/2024 at 11am and 22/02/2024 at 3pm, so there are plenty of options for you to pick from too!
Switch it up and turn tradition into something a little bit more trendy!
Typically, we hear of Valentine’s and immediately think of restaurants that have a set menu, many heart balloons everywhere, roses on the tables and couples soaking in all the ‘romantic’ settings that have been created for the one day. Or alternatively, there is always some rom-com being shown at the cinema and a ‘couple’s deal’ on a bucket of popcorn and two large drinks – that really would have still cost less had it been bought from literally anywhere else… So why stick to the same thing when there are options out there that offer an experience that really can be remembered and romanticised. Check out some of the places where we have found they have taken the tradition and tore up the typical Valentine’s rulebook:
Chez Jules Cinema Night: Soirée Cinéma!
This has been actually trialled by ourselves and we HIGHLY recommend.
Not only does this run over the Valentine’s period, however it can also be
enjoyed throughout the year. However, for Valentine’s Chez Jules have a screening
of The Notebook, I mean how much more romantic can a film night get?! Well –
not only is there one of the most romantic films known being shown in an
intimate setting amongst a small audience, but you also can be wined and dined beforehand!
For £27.50 per person, you can treat yourselves to a starter, a main course and
a glass of house wine! You can book a dinner reservation for between 6pm and
6:30pm so that you have plenty of time to be wined and dined before the film
starts at 8pm. To book follow the link here – https://chezjules.com/booking/ We can’t
find a better deal than this and if you want great value for your money and yet
still want to be immersed in the romantic aesthetic that most venues offer over
Valentine’s then this is the best shout!
Chill out at Chester Market
We all know how much Chester Market is loved by you all! We love it too! From the different eateries that you can indulge in, to the best boutique stalls that you can browse through, Chester Market really does offer something for everyone! Whilst we appreciate usually it is a first come first served or in this case sat down basis when it comes to seating at Chester Market, they have instead chosen to offer a small number of tables that can be booked on a first come first served basis on Valentine’s evening between 7pm and 10pm. The tables will be located in the Garden area within Chester Market, still offering a romantic and quieter setting for you to really enjoy the evening with your loved one, or friend! As part of the booking process diners are encouraged to support the End Homelessness initiative by donating at the contactless donation point in the market. All the proceeds raised will be split between three charities who work directly with those experiencing homelessness in Chester; Chester Aid to the Homeless, Share and Soul Kitchen. 100% of the money raised goes to the three charities as the processing fees are being covered by Cheshire West and Chester Council. So this Valentine’s why not love helping out others and really immerse yourself in loving all those that are around us! To secure a table contact the market team on: [email protected]
Teamwork can make the dream work!
As cringey as that saying may be, we can’t celebrate Valentine’s day without giving a nod of approval and acknowledge those that surround us and who are our ‘teammates’ in this journey that we call life. Whether it be you have that one person who you are devoted to, or you have a handful of friends that you wouldn’t be without – Valentine’s is the perfect time to ensure that we not only tell them how much we love them, but also show them by ensuring that we spend the day celebrating with them. We have found some activities that can be done by 2 people or can be collectively taken part in by a team of people, meaning it really is well suited to all people who are celebrating Valentine’s this season!
The Valentine’s Hunt – In Aid of Hope House Children’s Hospice
This is such a super scavenger hunt that is aimed at supporting Hope House Children’s Hospices. The beauty of this scavenger hunt is that this has all been created by four very talented second-year Events Management students at the University of Chester! So not only will you be supporting a charity that is raising money for such a good cause, but you will also be supporting fellow peers that are in similar positions to yourselves! After all it is nice to be nice to others! Through the use of the app Goosechase, participants will join missions that will guide them around Chester City Centre, to 14 different local independent businesses. At every location, they will have to identity 14 numbered hearts, containing Hope House’s symbol and motto. Once the hunt is completed, attendees will be entered in a prize draw, with winners to be chosen at random. An activity that is ideal for anyone who wants to have fun, challenge themselves, discover the historic city centre of Chester and recognise the importance of local businesses and charities in the area. The hunt is on from 10:30am on 09/02/2024 – 7:30pm on 16/02/2024 so get your hunting heads in the game! Book your tickets for the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-valentines-hunt-tickets-770181683147
Get your team together and tackle a pub quiz!
Frequently in Chester there are pub quizzes taking place – most of them weekly, and most of them offering prizes too! Although it may feel like day in day out with uni you are having to use your brain this is an activity which will really put your knowledge to the test and you can have fun with it all at the same time! You never know you may even win a bar tab that you can use before the next social! There are an abundance of venues that offer quizzes across Chester all on different days so you really can scour out the best for your team, or become the avid quiz-goers and see how often you can win in one week! We have even test ran a few out for you as well, such as Telford’s that is on a Monday evening and has something for everyone within the team to answer, The Ship Inn on a Wednesday, which we didn’t do too well on and has a lot of local quiz goers attending, and The Mount Inn on a Thursday that is all done on your phone making it a quick fire round for quizzers! Regardless, you will find a quiz that is suited to you and your team in Chester!
So we have got you covered, regardless of who is attending with you and regardless of the fun thing you were hoping to find, we can only hope that we have helped you out in trying to source the perfect plans for Valentine’s!
Let us know if you have attended any of these on our socials and we will be sure to share our experiences too!