Be Your Own Edgy Valentine in Moscow

If today is meant to be a day to celebrate love, then there’s a lot more to celebrate than just romance —a love for wine, for example, or a love for art, or jazz or even yourself. Whether you’re looking to celebrate yourself, your friends, your city, or your significant other — if you’re old-fashioned like that — there’s plenty going on in Moscow tonight and for the next few weeks. Here are some of our top picks!  

Jazz concert at Soviet Arcade Museum

Here “only atmosphere matters!” Dive into the world of jazz music to experience something new, or walk the old path of a devoted jazz fan while meeting up with new people. And if that sounds too serious, don’t forget the 50 arcade machines with old Soviet games waiting to be played. For more information see the site.

12 Ulitsa Kuznetsky Most, Metro Kuznetsky Most. Feb. 14 at 9 p.m.

Feminist Felt Toy Workshop

Get crafty and create something unusual at a feminist toy-making workshop. Women and girls aged 14 and older are welcome; misogyny, homophobia and sexism are not. Information can be found here.

Near Belorusskaya metro station, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.

Champagne and Oysters at Big Wine Freaks

Big Wine Freaks Msk opens their doors to both couples and solo revelers. After all, St. Valentine’s is just a day, while good Champagne, oysters, edgy music and beautiful people are forever. The party promises “love in the air” and tipsy winter nights. How can you go wrong? More information here.

62/3 Ulitsa Bolshaya Nikitskaya. Metro Barrikadnaya. Feb. 14 and 15

“To Be Her” Exhibition at Omelchenko Gallery

Explore an artist’s thoughts on a woman’s self-identity at an exhibition by Alena Fedotkina, “To Be Her.” The art created here will be staged as part of a Russian adaptation of “The Vagina Monologues,” the global activist movement targeting violence against women and girls. Click here for more information.

Omelchenko Gallery, 32 Starokonyushenny Pereulok, Metro Arbatskaya. Feb. 15 - March 11

Gorky Park Concert

Rekindle your love for classics like Mozart, Haydn, Chopin and Tchaikovsky with this Gorky Park concert. The event is dedicated to the history of the park and to its first director, Betty Glan, who broke through barriers in Russia. More information on the park site.

Gorky Park Museum, Metro Park Kultury. Feb. 16 at 8 p.m.

The Vagina Monologues

Held in support of Russian NGO Sisters Center, the production on Feb. 17 and 24 will run alongside the “To Be Her” exhibition. A cornerstone of the V-Day organization, which collects funds to support rape crisis centers and shelters for women internationally, the Russian remake of this play directed by Lydia Russkova will be an “artistic act itself against violence against women and breaking the silence.” Check it out here.

Omelchenko Gallery, 32 Starokonyushenny Pereulok, Metro Arbatskaya. Feb. 17 and 24, 7.30 p.m.

Bulgarian Wine Fest

Join in a celebration of St. Tryphon, the patron saint of gardeners and winegrowers, without whom there would be no wine. More information here.

Baba Marta, 8 Gogolevsky Bulvar, Metro Kropotkinskaya. Feb. 16 and 17.

The Headliners

End the week with female-fronted Swedish punk rock band The Headliners, who frequently tour Europe and have now found themselves in the Russian capital. Joining them are the cheery indie rock Muscovites EX-DOG. More details here.

Svoboda Bar, 1 Novodmitrovskaya Ulitsa. Metro Dmitrovskaya. Feb. 18 at 8.00 p.m.