Valentine’s Alberta style 

Shortly after stores clear out the Christmas decorations, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates begin appearing on the shelves and the Valentine’s heat is on. Studies show couples feel pressured to spend extravagantly on Valentine’s Day. In fact, Canadians spend about $37 million on Valentine’s Day romance each year. February 14 is big business. But you don’t have to blow your budget to on expensive gifts and fancy restaurant dinners to demonstrate your amore. It just takes a little planning, a bit of imagination and a great community.

Here are some ideas for unique, budget-wise Valentine's dates in an area near you:

Cost per person:
$ - Free to $10 | $$ - $11 to $21 | $$$ - $22 to $40 | $$$$ - $41and over

Stettler, Castor and area

$ NERF it out | Nothing says ‘I love you’ like pelting your partner with foam bullets. Take your sweetie to the Stettler Public Library for the adults Valentine’s Day NERF Massacre after hours event. Enjoy a helping of NERF supremacy and a slice of pizza. BYONG (Bring your own NERF Gun). Feb. 14. Call 403-742-2292 to register.

$ Stargaze | For millennia, people have been captivated by the romance of the stars. On Feb. 14, bundle up with your partner, pack a thermos of hot chocolate, a flashlight and head far from the city lights where the dark sky makes the stars and planets much more visible to the naked eye. In the Stettler area, you can find that dark sky nearby, on the beautiful Willow Canyon hiking trails adjacent to the village of Donalda. If you’re really lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis dancing across the Alberta night sky.

$$$ Gift from the heart | Embrace your artistic side and give the gift of your own handmade pottery this Valentine’s Day. Head to Remedy Art Studio in Stettler for drop-in pottery night to create a one-of-a-kind gift for your heart’s desire. Call (403) 741-9233 for information. 4919-53 St., Stettler, Alberta T0C 2L2

$$$$ Party with purpose | Make your Valentine’s Day spend count by attending the Hearts for Hospice soirée in support of the Stettler Hospice Society. Dinner, dancing and live music by veteran Canadian rock band, the Chevelles. Feb. 8, from 5 pm to 11:55 pm at the Stettler Community Hall. $60/per ticket. For tickets, call Gayle at 403 740 6990 or Marg at 403 742 7733.

Camrose, Wetaskiwin and area

$$$ Take a cultural tour | Treat your valentine to a dose of fun and culture at the
Nordlys Film and Arts Festival at the Bailey Theatre in Camrose. Award-winning films from around the world, special guest filmmakers and live music. Valentine’s evening tickets $30. Visit   www.nordlysfestival.com for info.

$ Toboggan at Tuck’s Hill | Embrace your partner’s inner child and head to Tuck’s Hill at Golden Jubilee Park in Camrose for some tobogganing. Follow it up with a hot beverage at one of the many fantastic Camrose cafes.

$ Skate in a winter wonderland | Pack a winter picnic and head about 25 minutes north to Miquelon Lake Provincial Park where, weather permitting, you’ll be greeted by a pristine winter landscape filled with frosted aspen, fir and birch. Lace up and glide along the 600-metre skating path with your special someone. If you stay into the evening, you can savour a clear view of the February celestial wonders, more visible in Miquelon’s dark sky preserve.

$ Open up at open mike | Serenade your sweetheart or just enjoy from the audience at the Manluk Theatre in Wetaskiwin. Aspiring actors, stand-up comics, poets, musicians, and more are welcome to try their skills at the mike. Audiences are treated to a new show each time. Feb. 15, 7:30 pm, admission by donation at the door.

$$ Hit the slopes | Just a short drive from Camrose and Wetaskiwin is Gwynne Valley Ski Hill, a great option for Valentine’s fun, without the usual heart-stopping lift ticket price tag. Friday evening lift passes are just $18, so you can ski under the stars on Feb. 14 without breaking the bank. https://www.gwynnevalley.ca/

$ Ride the wave | Surfing isn’t typically on the agenda in central Alberta, particularly not in February, but the surf’s up in Wetaskiwin. Donne your board shorts/bathing suit and head to the Manluk Centre with your Valentine to ride the waves on the centre’s unique Board Rider surf generator system. Aquatic centre admission $10 per person. 4514 50 Ave, Wetaskiwin, 780-361-4444

Vegreville, Two Hills and area

$$$ Snowshoe and stargaze | Take your sweetie on a Parks Canada guided snowshoeing tour of Astotin Lake in Elk Island National Park after dark. The park is part of the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve and is a perfect place to experience the stars and planets above. Feb. 15, 7 pm to 9 pm. Cost: $29.80 per person with a valid park pass. Includes: guide, snowshoes rental, warm snacks and refreshments. Call 780-922-5790 to register.

$ Snuggle at the show | When the weather is cold and the nights are long, there’s nothing like cuddling over a box of popcorn at the movies to warm one’s heart. Check out the offerings at Vegreville’s Capitol Theatre for a cozy Valentine’s Day outing. Adults $10. Call 780-632-2808 for movie listings.

$$ Roll with it | Romance and rented shoes go hand in hand at the bowling alley. Take your Valentine to Vegreville Lanes for a little fun, friendly competition and Friday night glow bowling. 4913 51 Ave, Vegreville, 780-632-7665

Flagstaff County

$$$ Hit the slopes | Nestled in the Battle River Valley, southwest of Alliance is the Valley Ski Club, a great option for Valentine’s fun and activity. The evening of Friday the 14th, they're serving a $40 steak dinner for two from 5 pm to 8 pm and skiing from 6 pm to 10 pm. All of the romance of both a dinner date and making tracks under the stars together, without breaking the bank. https://www.valleyskihill.ca/contact

$$$ Get the blues | Get a jump on celebrating Valentine’s Day and catch Canadian Gypsy blues duo Blue Moon Marquee  at the Forestburg Community Centre on Feb. 8. Tickets $30 adults. 7:30 pm. Contact the Village Office 780-582-3668

$$ Catch a flick | The Daysland’s Palace Theatre features movies on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Savour the silver screen with your sweetheart in this unique, historic Flagstaff County theatre. Call 780-374-2403 for movie listings. 5012 50 Street, Daysland

Peace Country

$ Gift from the heart | Romance your Valentine with a hand made card. Drop into the Grimshaw Public Library on Feb. 12 from 3:30 to 7:30 pm to try out their card making station. They supply the materials; you bring the love. 5007 47 Ave, Grimshaw, AB

$ Be Canadian | Bundle up, lace up your skates and take your sweetheart for a glide under the stars on an outdoor skating rink. It’s both romantic and very Canadian! It’s a rare Peace Country town that doesn’t have an outdoor rink. In Peace River, the offerings include Riverfront Park Skating Area on 100 Avenue, Spruce Court Skating Area on 98 Street and the Baytex Energy Centre Outdoor Rink on 73 Avenue.

$$$ Embrace the language of love | You don’t have to be French to enjoy the Carnaval de St. Isidore, an annual celebration of Francophone culture in Northern Alberta. The Carnaval showcases Francophone artists and French-Canadian dishes and offers sleigh rides, snow sculpting, shinny, and much more. Feb. 14 to 16. Weekend Pass: Adults $35 Youth (6-17) $20 Day Pass: Adult $25 Youth (6-17) $10. http://centreculturelstisidore.ca/en/carnaval-de-st-isidore-2/

$ Dine under the stars | Pack up your partner, ice auger, fishing rods, licenses, lantern and a big thermos of cocoa and head out to one of the Peace Country’s deep lakes for some ice fishing. Grill up your catch with a Coleman grill to enjoy fresh fish under a dazzling skyscape of stars and aurora borealis. Stocked lakes include East Twin Lakes, Figure Eight Lake, Ole’s Lake, Running Lake, Stoney Lake (Montagneuse Lake), and Sulphur Lake. For more information on stocked lakes, go to https://mywildalberta.ca/fishing/fish-stocking/stocking-maps.aspx?listing=1

$ Cross your hearts | Savour the quiet of a winter forest with your Valentine. Strap on your cross-country skis and enjoy the groomed public-access trails at Cummings Lake and the Sand Hills (20 km of trails altogether), which are maintained by the Dunvegan Nordic Ski and Cycle Club. Contact from Bob Walsh at dunvegan.nordic@gmail.com or 780-835-4652 for information about current conditions.