Wed Feb.

04 -10°C Anyone who thinks Valentine’s Day is mainly for couples may have to do a double take this Saturday as a flurry of singles events takes over the city. Gone are the days of staying home if you don’t have a partner on Feb. 14, with several charitable organizations, promoters and downtown hotspots throwing shindigs aimed only at singles. With names such as “No Sweetheart Required,” “Anti-Valentine’s Day After Work Party,” “Open Hearts” and “Second Shot at Love,” parties are targeting the singles market while debunking the ideology that Valentine’s Day is only for those in love. Laura Bilotta, co-owner of singles’ organization says having a singles event has become more conventional as singles lean towards meeting other singles through methods such as online dating and speed dating. “A lot more people are coming out, and the trend has been there and steadily growing, especially in a big city,” she says. “It’s more accepted now,” Bilotta says of her Valentine’s bachelor and bachelorette auction at the event taking place this Saturday at the Radisson Admiral Hotel at Harbourfront.
The event has been running for four years with proceeds going to a different charity each year.