Valentine's Day Events in Southwest Minneapolis

Looking for something to do in and around Southwest Minneapolis this Valentine's Day? Keep your romantic celebrations in the 'hood with these suggestions.

Restaurants

Several Southwest Minneapolis restaurants have scheduled special menus for Valentine's Day. Not all have revealed the substance of those selections yet, but given the eateries involved, open tables will surely disappear fast.

• The Harriet Brasserie
• Wise Acre Eatery (menu)
• The Grand Cafe
• Cafe Ena (menu)
• Broder's Pasta Bar (menu)
• Blackbird Cafe

Running

Feb. 9, Twin Cities in Motion will put on a 5K road race around Lake Harriet for runners to celebrate or find love.

Lasting Memories

Set your love in stone by buying a personalized Lake Harriet Bandshell paver, courtesy of People for Parks. In the past, some have used them as a critical part of elaborate marriage proposals, while others have used them to leave a lasting legacy after their deaths.

Museums

The February edition of the Bakken Museum's Free Second Saturday event will be heart-themed. Visitors will get to sample a 1 p.m. presentation about the wacky history of heart science, plus a chance to craft an anatomically-correct valentine, then create a robot to color it for you.

Blood Drives

For the civic-minded romantics out there, the American Red Cross is hosting three blood drives near Southwest Minneapolis on Feb. 14.

• Minneapolis Blood Donation Center (1 p.m. - 7 p.m.)
  1201 W River Pkwy
  Minneapolis, MN 55454
• Bloomington Blood Donation Center (1 p.m - 7 p.m.)
  505 W 98th St
  Bloomington, MN 55420
• Coffman Union, University of Minnesota (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
  300 Washington Ave. SE
  Minneapolis, MN 55455