ALTON - Valentine’s Day rapidly approaching and luckily for area residents, there are plenty of things to do around the River Bend this weekend for both the couples celebrating the holiday and the single folks ignoring all of the romantic hubbub.  

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Atrium Hotel flyerLovers looking to enjoy a night away from the kids this Saturday and Sunday are welcome to the Atrium Hotel in Alton to enjoy their special Valentine’s Package. For $159, guests will receive a one-night stay at the hotel along with a bottle of champagne, two glasses filled with chocolate hugs and kisses, a $40 voucher to Franco’s Restaurant, a breakfast buffet for two and two beverage coupons.

That $40 voucher for Franco’s can be used for the $50 Dinner for Two Valentine’s Special, which includes some delectable dishes like Lobster Ravioli, an eight-ounce tenderloin and chocolate-covered strawberries and two cream puff swans for dessert.

The Jerseyville Parks and Recreation Department is offering not one, but three nights for fathers, grandfathers or guardians and their little girls to dance the night away at the Daddy and Daughter Valentine Dance between 6 and 8:30 p.m. each night this weekend at the Susnig Center, located at 401 Mound St.

Guests can dress up or stay casual for a night filled with fun, featuring a buffet dinner catered by Brass Door in Carrollton, delicious desserts and music spun by a professional DJ. Ladies between the ages of 3 and 12 and their best guys are encouraged to snap some photos in the photo booth before leaving the event with a special gift. The all-inclusive night is $15 per person. Dads with multiple daughters are also encouraged to come out and enjoy the evening.

Couples with a love for the supernatural should head to Mineral Springs Mall for a special Night at the Museum Chocolate and Roses Valentine Tour. For $35 a person, guests will enjoy the tour of the haunted Mineral Springs Mall facility, along with a walking tour of Alton and it’s spookiest cemeteries. The tours will begin after the doors open at 7 p.m. and late night and private investigations are also available.

Love Sucks Speed Dating flyerAre you single and tired of the whole Valentine’s Day commotion? The United States Veterans Foundation and Ragin' Cajun Piano Bar are presenting a one-of-a-kind experience for those looking for love and have a great sense of humor.

At the Love Sucks Speed Dating with Humor event, loners can stop by the bar to meet new people and have a great time this Sunday between 3 and 6 p.m.

Drawings for prices like a meal for one, a spa package from Midwest Massage and a “one night stand” will also be up for grabs. Delicious desserts should “fill the emptiness in the guests hearts through their stomachs,” according to the flyer for the event.

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Participants can speed date and enjoy drink specials like the bleeding heart cocktail for $15. The donation will go directly to the USVF.

Guests are encouraged to “douse themselves in cheap perfume or cologne and dress to impress only themselves!”

What sounds better than holding hands with your best guy or gal and skating the day away? That’s exactly what couples can do at The Loading Dock in Grafton this Sunday. Between Noon and 8 p.m., couples will receive admission to the establishment’s extraordinarily popular ice skating rink and rent two pair of skates for the low price of $25. After they’ve worked up an appetite, they can head to the restaurant for some of their delicious dishes and brews.

Couple's Skate at The Loading Dock flyer

Less than a mile away up Route 100, diners can head to the Grafton Winery & Brewhaus to experience a multi course Chef’s tasting of several delectable dishes from the fine restaurant. The meals, which include jumbo scallop, smoked pork tenderloin, grilled teres major and sesame-crusted tuna, are paired with the award-winning Grafton Winery wines.

Diners can enjoy the entire experience for $40 a person beginning at 1 p.m. Spots are limited so guests are encouraged to call 618-786-3001 for reservations.

Deadpool movie posterA date night to the movies is one of the most common activities for couples on Valentine’s Day, and this year, a number of films are hitting the silver screen just in time for the holiday.

How to be Single, a romantic comedy, stars 50 Shades of Grey actress Dakota Johnson and Pitch Perfect powerhouse Rebel Wilson in an hour and fifty minutes of pure unadulterated hilarity while they search for love in New York City.

The Choice movie posterRyan Reynolds suits up for the newest and most untraditional superhero film in the Marvel cinematic universe in Deadpool. The extraordinarily popular and highly-anticipated film features Wade Wilson, who gains rapid healing powers after an experimental cancer treatment backfires. Throughout all of his struggles, Wilson maintains his quick-witted sense of humor while taking down some bad guys. Underneath action, adventure and comedy aspects of R-rated film is a love story between Wilson and his love interest, actress Morena Baccarin.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies puts a modern spin on Jane Austen’s romantic novel, with Elizabeth Bennett (Lily James) fighting alongside her sisters and Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) during the zombie apocalypse. The horror retelling of the classic novel is sure to make couples who both love zombie films and classic literature smile.

Yet another Nicholas Sparks novel has been made into a movie just in time for Valentine’s Day. The Choice features Benjamin Walker and Teresa Palmer in a once-of-a-lifetime love story, filled with twists, turns, tragedy and more. Be sure to bring tissues to this one if you decide to go.

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