Romance is in the air

With Valentine’s Day coming up on Wednesday, Greater Lansing offers a selection of events this weekend for those who may not have time during the week for a full-fledged date night, from a love poetry showcase and a Valentine’s-themed burlesque and drag show to events singles will also enjoy, like concerts, plays, a bar crawl and much more.

For Friday evening’s live music, we have country musician Cooper Johnson at Harrison Roadhouse at 6; a duo of local musicians Mike Shuptar and Corey Gloden at the Peanut Barrel, jazz trumpeter Karim Gideon at UrbanBeat, cover band Rod Tuffcurls and the Bench Press at Grewal Hall at 224, vocalist Jazzmeia Horn with Michigan State University’s jazz nonets at the Music Building’s Murray Hall and pop-punk band the New Models’ album release show with fellow pop-punk band First Aid Spray and progressive-rock band Entransient at Mac’s Bar, all at 8; ‘80s cover band Miranda & the M-80s at the Green Door at 8:30; “electronic erotica” group Nonbinary’s album release show with pop band Get Tuff at the Avenue at 9; and cover band Geech at East Lansing’s Mash Bar at 10. Saturday evening, we have rock band Jimmy Likes Pie at Lansing Brewing Co. and classic-rock band the Classix at UrbanBeat, both at 7; rock bands From Big Sur, Sean Anthony Sullivan and 2 Body Problem at Mac’s Bar at 8; and Geech at the Green Door at 8:30. Ending the weekend on Sunday is Red Cedar Spirits’ weekly Sunday Jazz show at 6 p.m. and pop singer-songwriter Blaine & His Keyboard at the Avenue at 7 p.m.

Lansing Shuffle will hold an opening reception for local artist Ryan Holmes’ new exhibition 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday. Other art displays on view include the subject of this week’s cover story, “Sam x Elijah: Making Space x Taking Space,” at the MSU Residential College in the Arts and Humanities’ LookOut! Gallery, which is open noon to 3 p.m. Friday; “Space Between,” by Gerald Collins, at the Lansing Art Gallery, which is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; “Layers,” by Robert Park, at Struk Studio in north Lansing, which is open noon to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. Sunday; “Realm of Daydreams - The Wonders of Fantasy Art” at the Art Williamston gallery, which is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday; “Seeing in 360 Degrees: The Zaha Hadid Design Collection,” “DOOMSCROLLING,” “Resistance Training: Arts, Sports, and Civil Rights” and the 2024 Art, Art History, and Design Faculty Triennial at the MSU Broad Art Museum, which is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday; and the MSU Federal Credit Union Student Art Exhibit at the credit union’s Headquarters Building 2, which is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.

If you’d like to do some crafting of your own, Charlotte Community Library is holding a coffee-scrub-making workshop 5:30 p.m. Friday. Pre-registration is required.

All-of-Us Express Children’s Theatre begins its two-weekend run of “The Addams Family” 7 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at East Lansing’s Hannah Community Center, and the MSU Department of Theatre begins its run of “Stevie and the Real World” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the school’s Fairchild Theatre. Additionally, “Maytag Virgin” continues 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Williamston Theatre; “Funny Girl” wraps up 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Wharton Center; and Peppermint Creek Theatre Co. wraps up its production of “How to Defend Yourself” 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Stage One Performing Arts Center.

Events for the kids this weekend include Impression 5’s weekly Sparking Science program 10 a.m. Friday, which will focus on making “messy” art; AL!VE health park’s weekly story time and parkour workshop 10 a.m. Friday; a Junior Detectives-themed workshop 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Impression 5; the second session of Jeff the Magician’s four-week magic class 10 a.m. Saturday at TinkrLAB; and a viola-themed Lansing Symphony Orchestra Family Series event with violist David Schultz 1 p.m. Sunday at the Holt Public Library.

The Mid-Michigan Women’s Expo runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Lansing Center, offering a host of exhibits, activities and shopping opportunities tailored to women and their families.

The Lansing Winterfest BrrrCrawl returns 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, beginning at the Exchange on East Michigan Avenue and continuing to American Fifth Spirits, MichiGrain Distillery and Lansing Brewing Co. Participants must mark off all four bars on their punch card for the chance to win prizes.

In this week’s Travelogue, 7 p.m. Friday at Foster Community Center, Susan Aten will take guests on a journey throughout Europe’s Iberian Peninsula.

Wacousta-Dewitt Masonic Lodge’s monthly fundraiser fish fry runs 4 to 6:30 p.m. Friday or until food runs out. There will also be a bake sale on the lodge’s main floor.

Waverly Community Schools’ robotics program will hold its annual fundraiser dinner 5 p.m. Friday at the Studio at 414 in downtown Lansing, featuring performances by comedian Pat Sievert and the Crandell, LaFave and Minami jazz trio as well as a silent auction and a keynote speech by Cindy Kangas, executive director of the Capital Area Manufacturing Council.

Journalist Cheyna Roth will visit Hooked bookstore 5 p.m. Saturday to discuss her new book, “Between Two Wars: A True Crime Collection,” which details “the most fascinating crimes committed” in the era between the Civil War and World War II.

The Liederkranz Club of Lansing is back with another German dinner and dance Saturday evening, with meals served from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and a costume contest and live polka music to follow.

MI Drag Brunch, which brings drag entertainment to restaurants all over the state, will host shows 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday at Lansing Brewing Co.

Finally, Valentine’s Day-themed events include Hooked’s Lovely Boozy Book Fair 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, featuring a 10% discount on all books, a 15% discount on romance titles and a $1 discount on Valentine’s-themed beverages; a Valentine’s Market 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Keller’s Plaza in Williamston; Tease A Gogo’s Bump N’ Grind Valentine burlesque and drag show 8 p.m. Saturday at Green Dot Stables; and a love poetry showcase 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at UrbanBeat, also featuring performances by a selection of local musicians.

Whatever you choose to do, I wish you the best of weekends.

(Have an event? Be sure to list it free at lansingcitypulse.com/calendar. Think it’s worth at least a short story? Send a news release to nicole@lansingcitypulse.com.)