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Here are 6 fun and unique ways to celebrate Valentine’s weekend in Fresno

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Natali Carrera

Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her nine-year-old son, husband of 14 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works full time with ValleyPBS as their Director of Educational Services and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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Valentine's weekend

Let FresYes be your guide to creative, local dates this Valentine’s weekend

Ah… Valentine’s Day. Is it a holiday made up by retailers to ensure profits in an otherwise slow month or a truly romantic, love-filled day?

Though opinions vary, odds are if you’re part of a couple, your other half may be hoping (secretly) or hinting (not even close to secretly) to spend some one-on-one time together celebrating your relationship. If so, I may be of help!

To help you plan the perfect Valentine’s date, I’ve rounded up for you six fun, unique and Fresno-centric ways to celebrate the sweetest of days with your sweetheart (and all in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, so you can hopefully avoid big crowds, too!)

Valentine's weekend

1. Catch Dirty Dancing at the Crest Theatre

Enjoy a fun, throwback flick in a beautiful, vintage theater at a super affordable price!

Take your date to see 1987’s hit film Dirty Dancing at the historic Crest Theatre in downtown Fresno on Friday, Feb. 9 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are just $5 each and concessions are available for purchase as well. (And for more reasonable prices than you’re likely used to.)

2. Enjoy a coffee brewing class

Are you and your better half coffee enthusiasts? You may enjoy spending the morning together learning how to perfect the perfect pour-over at The Revue’s Pour-Over Tutorial taking place on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m.

Instruction will be provided on how to make the perfect cup of coffee at home, and afterwards you can relax in The Revue’s bright and comfortable cafe while enjoying a Whiskey Caramel Latte. (You know you want one. I want one!)

3. Learn to make chocolate mousse 

Need some chocolate for your Valentine? Tree of Life is happy to offer you the chance to learn how to make their delicious chocolate mousse plus feed you and your date a delicious chicken parm sandwich and soup dinner for just $15 per person.

The class takes place on Saturday, Feb. 10 from 6-8 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (559) 663-7776.

Valentine's weekend

My husband and I at last year’s Wine & Chocolate Weekend

4. Hop the Golden Eagle trolley to Wine & Chocolate Weekend

My husband and I have enjoyed this event—which takes you to several Fresno County wineries—for the last several years. It’s so much fun to ride the bus and just relax knowing you don’t have to worry about finding someone to drive you while you enjoy wine tasting and shopping. And so far, on this weekend each year, the weather has been phenomenal!

This year, the Golden Eagle charter bus will load at 10 a.m. and visit five Fresno County wineries, returning you by 5 p.m. The price per person is $35, and that includes your wristband for wine tasting at all five wineries. (Bring your own glass, or you’ll need to buy one at your first stop, fyi.)

The Fresno County Wine Trail Wine & Chocolate Weekend event takes place both Saturday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 11. Call Golden Eagle Charter at (559) 275-2910 to reserve your seats.

5. Enjoy a succulent planting class

Succulents have experienced a surge in popularity thanks to their drought-tolerant nature and attractive appearance. Want to build your own heart-shaped succulent garden with your honey and learn more about beautiful succulent varieties together?

RSVP for Gazebo Gardens’ succulent planter workshop taking place Sunday, Feb. 11 from 2-3:30 p.m. Included with the class are the materials you need to create your own succulent garden in a wooden, heart-shaped planter, as well as your first drink (beer, soda, or something from Café Van Ness). Cost is $45 per person in advance ($50 day of), and only 20 seats are available, so if you’re interested in this option, I’d book promptly.

6. Take a chocolate tour

Valentine's weekend

Learn how cacao beans become chocolate at Raphio Chocolate

Fresno-based Raphio Chocolate, located at Bullard and First, offers an amazing tour and educational experience at their micro factory. I’ve had the chance to take this tour in the past (learn more about my experience here), and it would make for such a fun date!

Raphio makes top-quality, artisan chocolate from cacao beans that they source from regions across the globe. And yes, owner Elisia Otavi will be sure to provide you with opportunities to taste the difference between the chocolates from a variety of origins.

Reserve a spot for yourself and your main squeeze in the tour taking place Monday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. here.

…

Have a great weekend and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Win tickets to the Old Town Clovis Fall Wine Walk

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Jason Farris

Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES

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The Fall Wine Walk will return to Old Town Clovis Saturday, Oct. 7 from 5 to 8:30 p.m., and we’ve got tickets to give away.

Wineries from all over California will offer tastings of their best wines while local restaurants serve bites of their most delicious dishes. Shop, sip, and taste your way through Old Town at this popular local event.

You can purchase tickets in person at Fifth Street Antiques, Dave Shivers State Farm Insurance, and Hearts Delight, or online at OldTownClovis.org. Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 on the day of the event. With your ticket, you’ll receive a wrist band, complimentary wine glass, and punch card with a map of locations to access all of the booths set up around Old Town.

Be sure to check out the Old Town Clovis Wine Shop, set up on the corner of Fifth Street and Pollasky Ave., offering bottles and cases of wine from your favorite participating wineries.

fall wine walk

Ticket Giveaway

We have two pairs of tickets to give away to this fantastic event. To enter, click here and submit your full name. 

Two (2) winners will be chosen at random to receive two (2) tickets each. Winners must be at least 21 years old. One entry person. Deadline to enter this contest is Friday, Oct. 6 at 12 noon PST. Winners will be contacted via email. Contest entrants will be subscribed to the weekly FresYes Insider newsletter; to unsubscribe, click “unsubscribe” at the bottom of the newsletter.

Tired of Dinner Out? Try Wine Tasting This Valentine’s Day

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Natali Carrera

Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her nine-year-old son, husband of 14 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works full time with ValleyPBS as their Director of Educational Services and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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Confession: Until last year, I’d never actually been wine tasting at a winery. I know, such a shame, right?

Then, last Valentine’s Day, our friends invited my husband and I to join them for a chartered bus trip to tour a number of Fresno County wineries. We purchased tickets for the Wine and Chocolate Lovers Weekend on the Fresno County Wine Journey through Golden Eagle Charter. Wow, was that one of the most fun, relaxing, and enjoyable days I think my husband and I have ever had. Plus, it was such a nice change of pace from waiting to get into a restaurant for dinner on Valentine’s Day, or choosing an off weeknight instead to avoid the crowds.

This year, Golden Eagle is chartering the similarly named Madera Wine and Chocolate Weekend. You can’t go wrong with either trail—Fresno or Madera—from what I understand, but may I politely implore you, if you enjoy wine, to try wine tasting this Valentine’s Day weekend at either?

Wine Tasting This Valentine's Day

Our wine “chariot”

During last year’s chartered tour, we enjoyed tastings at four locations. Our first stop was Yribarren Family Vineyard located at 12333 W. Neilson in Kerman. Yribarren had a small craft fair, beautiful outdoor seating area, and a rich, sweet Sangiovese wine that our entire group fell in love with. They also had a homemade ice cream vendor, Jay’s Specialty Ice Cream, that offered a number of rich, creamy flavors we couldn’t resist.

Our next stop was A. Nonini Winery at 2640 N Dickenson Ave. in Fresno. A. Nonini is a family winery that’s been in operation for over 75 years, and prides itself on making wine “the old world way” using few preservatives and creating wines with a “big fruit” taste. At A. Nonini, we enjoyed chicken tacos from a great vendor, and some outdoor, pop-up boutique shopping. The tasting area in the barrel room at A. Nonini was huge, dark, and filled with beautiful wood barrels and sparkling white lights —it was quite a romantic setting.

The third stop was Lomac Winery at 2674 N. Westlawn in Fresno. This location really made things a lot of fun. They had a photo booth set up complete with goofy props, numerous tasting stations, food vendors (including a chocolate fountain!), lawn games, and even a large warehouse room with ag equipment on display that you could check out. We had such a great time at Lomac!

Wine Tasting This Valentine's Day

Fun times playing cornhole on the lawn at Lomac

Our final stop was Engelmann Cellars, 3275 N. Rolinda Ave. in Fresno. If you’ve ever been to Engelmann for a wedding or Friday night movie or concert, you already know it’s enchanting. The winery had a wide variety of wines available for tasting, and a large indoor vendor fair (I ended up leaving with a beautiful heart-shaped ring to commemorate the day), plus an awesome taco vendor and fun photo op area.

Wine Tasting This Valentine's Day

Four wineries in, husbands don’t even grumble over cheesy photo ops! #wine

Wine Tasting This Valentine's Day

Engelmann Cellars

For Valentine’s Day weekend this year, we were struggling to decide whether to take the bus tour to Madera or to designate a driver and head back to some of the places we loved so much last year. Ultimately, we decided we want to go back to some of the wineries on the west side of Fresno County, so perhaps you’ll see us out there if you join in on the fun.

If you’re looking for something special to do this Valentine’s weekend, making a day of enjoying our beautiful, local wineries could be just the ticket.

For More Information

• Golden Eagle Chartered Tour to the Madera Wine and Chocolate Weekend Wineries is $45. Tickets can be found here.

• If you’re interested in attending the Madera Wine and Chocolate Weekend without the chartered bus, information can be found here.

• If you’d like to attend the Fresno County Wine and Chocolate Lovers Weekend, here is the information for that (18 total wineries and breweries will be participating this year!)

See you out on the wine trail!