Valentine’s Day is the Super Bowl for romantics. It’s a day that gets planned for and looked forward to. And, when it’s over, it leaves a lot of people with considerably lighter wallets. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans spent over $18 billion on the holiday, that’s almost $140 per person (if couples go Dutch, that is). So, it’s understandable if people find themselves looking for discounted entertainment to go with their marked-down candy.
Friday Night
1. Live music at Waterline Brewing – Catch Justin Cody Fox, singer-songwriter and Wilmington native, at the Waterline Brewing Company under the Cape Fear Bridge. Fox has played alongside Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gregg Allman and Blackberry Smoke and is touring with his new album, “Go Down Swinging,” recorded in Leland. Fox and his band bring a blend of rock, country and blues to the stage from 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. And, while the beer isn’t free, six-dollar flights and food from Mama Duke’s Pizza Oven will do less damage to your wallet than champagne and lobster.
Waterline Brewing Company is located at 721 Surry St. (between Queen and Dawson). Information about upcoming events is available at Waterline’s webpage.
2. Kitty Cat Karnival – Ironclad Brewery will host this free, all-ages event featuring carnival games and raffle prizes that include 10-person wine tastings from Wilmington Wine, gift certificates for indoor tanning and others. The event was organized by All 4 Cats, a Wilmington-based cat rescue and adoption program, and proceeds will go towards its efforts. Information about the event and All 4 Cats is available on their Facebook page.
The event runs from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. at Ironclad Brewery, 115 N. 2nd St. Ironclad Brewery asked that minors be accompanied by an adult.
Saturday
3. Lowest Price in the Country Tasting – Winestore, a small chain of North Carolina wine merchants, guarantees all its wines at the lowest price in state – good news if you broke your budget on Tuesday. On Saturday, the tasting features wines with the lowest price in the country, with experts on hand to talk about the wines. Winestore’s tasting machines allow you to try a number of different wines; the tasting aren’t free, but you can sample wines for as little as 50 cents.
The tasting runs from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. at Winestore’s Mayfair location, 1125 Military Cutoff Road.
4. Seaglass Salvage Market – Open one weekend a month, this market features a wide range of local artisans – a list of vendors is available at the market’s website. Sprawling in and out a warehouse in Leland, the market offers free coffee and food trucks will be on site. The Seaglass market is open all weekend, but the weather looks best on Saturday.
Hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon – 5 p.m. on Sunday. The market is located at 1987 Andrew Jackson Highway in Leland.
5. Art in Bloom – The latest exhibit at downtown gallery Art in Bloom, presents work from Mark Gansor and Carole Osman. Gansor and Osman have both traveled widely – and painted their journeys – before calling Wilmington home. Gansor’s work, in particular, captures some of Wilmington’s iconic buildings and scenery.
The free exhibit is located at 210 Princess St. and is open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday
6. Brooklyn Arts Center “Art for All” – The BAC’s “Cutting Edge Art Show” runs Saturday and Sunday and expects to feature at least 50 local artists. Admission is $5, or about .10 cents per artist – and kids under 12 are free. The BAC will have a food trucks and coffee, as well as a cash bar.
The Brooklyn Arts Center is located at 516 N. Fourth St. and the show runs Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday noon – 5 p.m.
7. Plunging Shot and Screaming Shell – This Sunday marks the 152nd anniversary of the fall of Confederate’s Fort Anderson, in Brunwick County, to Union forces under General Jacob D. Cox. As part of a commemoration of the event, Brunswick Town and Fort Anderson will be holding guided tours, complete with reenactments of artillery cannon fires. Tickets are $10 – the most expensive of the weekend roundup – but include a chance to operate a piece of civil war artillery, and all proceeds go to Fort Anderson’s going renovation efforts.
The two-day event is open from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Fort Anderson is located at 8884 St. Philips Road in Winnabow.
