Valentine's Day 2027 is a Sunday. A swing dance at Santa Fe College Feb. 12, August Wilson at the Hippodrome, Kanapaha's gardens and the free Harn museum.
Last checked Oct. 8, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Sources: Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, the Harn Museum of Art, the Hippodrome Theatre, Santa Fe College’s event tickets and the Visit Gainesville calendar. Restaurants are added only when they announce Valentine’s plans on their own pages.
Valentine’s Day 2027 is Sunday, Feb. 14, so Gainesville’s plans spread across that weekend. So far a swing dance at Santa Fe College on Friday, Feb. 12, and an August Wilson play at the Hippodrome that closes Feb. 14 are on the calendar, and the botanical gardens and the Harn museum are open that Sunday.
Before you go
- Valentine’s Day: Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027
- Event listings: Visit Gainesville calendar
- Kanapaha Botanical Gardens: 352-372-4981
- Restaurants: book ahead; we list set menus once restaurants post them
Valentine’s events
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 27 to Feb. 14 | Two Trains Running, August Wilson’s drama set in a Pittsburgh diner in 1969 | Hippodrome Theatre, 25 SE Second Place |
| 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12 | Valentine’s Swing Dance | Santa Fe College, 3000 NW 83rd St. |
The Valentine’s Swing Dance features the Santa Fe Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo playing big band jazz from the 1920s and 1930s. It is semi-formal, with light appetizers, and the first hour includes free swing lessons, so no experience is needed, the college’s listing says.
The Hippodrome closes its run of Two Trains Running on Valentine’s Day itself; check the theater for the Sunday curtain time.
Date ideas
- Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, 4700 SW 58th Drive, off Archer Road about a mile west of I-75. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day but Thursday, last entry 4:15 p.m. Admission is charged; children under 5 are free with a parent.
- Harn Museum of Art, on the UF Cultural Plaza at SW 34th Street and Hull Road. Admission is free. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, and 5 to 9 p.m. Thursdays for Art After Dark. Parking is free on weekends.
- Florida Museum of Natural History, next door to the Harn, plans to reopen its exhibits, including the Butterfly Rainforest, on Nov. 23, 2026, after its expansion, the museum says.
- A show: the Hippodrome downtown and the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Hull Road post their February schedules on their own sites.
For restaurants, wine bars and late openings, see our date night guide; for music venues, our live music and nightlife guide.
Dinners
We add Valentine’s dinners here only when the restaurant announces them on its own site, with a link. Because the holiday is a Sunday, expect some restaurants to run special menus on Friday and Saturday too.
What this means for you
- Book dinner early for Saturday, Feb. 13, and Sunday, Feb. 14.
- Kanapaha closes on Thursdays, so plan garden visits for another day of the week.
- For a free date, the Harn costs nothing and parking is free on weekends.
Related: brunch in Gainesville and free things to do.
Frequently asked questions
What day is Valentine’s Day 2027?
Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027, so most dinners and events will be spread across the weekend of Feb. 12-14.
Is there a Valentine’s dance in Gainesville?
Santa Fe College holds a Valentine’s Swing Dance from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, 2027, with its jazz ensemble and combo and a free lesson in the first hour.
Is Kanapaha Botanical Gardens open on Valentine’s Day?
Kanapaha is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thursday, with last entry at 4:15 p.m., so it is open on Sunday, Feb. 14.
What is a free date idea in Gainesville?
The Harn Museum of Art on the UF campus is free. On Sundays it is open from 1 to 5 p.m., and parking is free on weekends.
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