Valentine's Day special events 

• Steven Menendez
• Lady Bunny performs at the Drag Collective’s “Stupid Cupid”

You've purchased the flowers, made your dinner reservation and all the other traditional lovey-dovey trappings of Valentine's Day. But what if you want to fill out your evening beyond a romantic meal? There are many events and activities in SLC and the immediate vicinity that come with a special V-Day theme; here's just a sampling of what you can experience.

Heber Valley Railroad Valentine's Special: The Heber Valley Railroad (450 S. 600 West, Heber City, hebertrain.com) is one of Utah's most uniquely magical experiences, and you can add a dose of romance to that experience with this one-night-only occasion. Take a seat in one of four vintage coaches for a 90-minute round trip that includes a finger-food charcuterie box, sparkling cider, chocolate and a special gift. Enjoy love songs performed by on-board hosts, or dance in the lounge car to the music of the Midway String Quartet. Departure is at 7 p.m., tickets $60 - $200 per person.

Moonlight Snowshoe Hikes: Multiple locations will be offering the chance for romantic snowshoe strolls in the wintry chill. At Wasatch Mountain State Park (1281 Warm Springs Rd., Midway, stateparks.utah.gov), you can enjoy the backcountry from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., $7 per person plus $6 for snowshoe rental. The Stokes Nature Center's Murray Farms Trailhead (logannature.org), the experience is a guided tour from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., $25 per adult (snowshoes included), $10 per child, with hot chocolate to be served to all participants.

The Drag Collective: "Stupid Cupid" featuring Lady Bunny @ The State Room: Loving someone else starts with loving yourself, and you can get a healthy dose of radical self-love from this evening of queer drag and burlesque at The State Room (638 S. State, thestateroompresents.com). City Weekly Best of Utah's reigning Best Local Comedian, Craig Sorensen, hosts an evening also scheduled to feature Madazon Can-Can, pole dancer Kara Parker and drag legend Lady Bunny. Celebrate the anti-corporate-romance side of this holiday with these great performers. Showtime 9 p.m., tickets $38 general admission, $65 reserved seating.

Valentine's Sleepover with Jordan and Alexys @ Wiseguys Gateway: Keep the opportunities to laugh away your Valentine's Day coming in the Rickles Room at Wiseguys Gateway (190 S. 400 West, wiseguyscomedy.com) with comedians Alexys Gee and Jordan Harris. Come in your favorite (public-appropriate) jammies or sleepwear, and prepare for a night of stand-up silliness where you might even get to play spin-the-bottle with the hosts. Tickets $15, showtime 7:30 p.m.

CRAFT Paint Night @ The Leonardo: Take a virtual visit to the City of Lights with a date-night evening at The Leonardo (209 E. 500 South, theleonardo.org) learning a little bit about pointillism, as an instructor guides attendees through the step-by-step creation of an 8 x 10 painting inspired by Georges Seurat's "The Eiffel Tower." Drinks, snacks and chocolate-dipped strawberries will be available at the bistro for additional charge. Tickets are $35 per person, event takes place 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Ogden Shakespeare Festival's "Love Bites": Some of the greatest romantic stories in history came from the pen of William Shakespeare, and you can enjoy performances from several of them at this semi-formal evening at St. Joseph Catholic High School (1790 Lake St., Ogden, ogdenshakesfest.org). Dessert and beverages will be served as Ogden Shakespeare actors offer scenes from the Bard's beloved love stories, including Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It and more. Showtime is 8 p.m. for the 90-minute event, $25 general admission.

"Nature is For Lovers" @ Ogden Nature Center/Kisses & Fishes @ Loveland Living Planet Aquarium: Is your idea of a relaxing time one that involves all the other critters in this wondrous creation? You've got a couple of options at your disposal. At Ogden Nature Center (966 W. 12th St., Ogden, ogdennaturecenter.org), you can spend your evening learning fun and hilarious facts about love and mating in the natural world, accompanied by dessert and hot or cold beverages. Event starts at 7 p.m., $45 per couple. The after-hours event at the Aquarium (12033 Lone Peak Parkway, Draper, livingplanetaquarium.org) is a semi-formal occasion featuring photo booth, romance-themed education stations, sweet and savory bites, live music and cash bar with signature cocktails and mocktails. Admission is $85, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Asylum 49 "Love Bites" Haunted House: Have you always thought of love as just as scary as it is sweet? Maybe the right choice for you is a spooky evening at Asylum 49 (140 E. 200 South, Tooele, asylum49.com). Romance and terror converge for a unique experience featuring cursed lovers, haunted brides and more. Reservations are available 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. both Friday, Feb. 14 and Saturday, Feb. 15, $20 general admission, $10 more for front-of-line express pass.