Your guide to Galentine’s Day in Arizona, featuring local events, at-home ideas, and special ways to celebrate friendship.
It’s February, so naturally, I am thinking about love and its many forms. There’s romantic love, familial love, self-love, love for your pet, and the kind I’m focusing on this month: friendship.
I truly believe that friends are one of the most beautiful gifts we get in this life. How special is it to find a person and feel safe enough to trust them with a piece of your soul over a cup of coffee or a morning walk? And who else can make you laugh so hard you feel like a kid again, and in the next second, make you feel safe enough to cry? These kinds of friendships are special and rare.
And just like love, friendships take many forms. Sometimes they stretch all the way back to early childhood or college. Other times, they’re a little more unexpected—like the friend you met during your yoga-obsessed phase or through a failed double date. No matter how they begin, friendships are worth celebrating. And if you ask me, we’re not celebrating them nearly enough… cue February and Galentine’s Day.
This year, I’m fully immersing myself in the celebration of Galentine’s Day, and I’m bringing you along for the ride. Here’s a full list of ways to celebrate Galentine’s Day in Arizona and at home.
Attend a local event
Galentine’s Brunch
Every Saturday throughout February, Lola Cocktail Lab and Eatery in Glendale is celebrating Galentine’s Day with a special brunch. You can reserve general admission for free, but if you’re looking to elevate the experience, consider booking a VIP table. The VIP option includes seating for four and a Tier One bottle of alcohol for $150.
If you’re on the hunt for a brunch spot in Scottsdale, or want to tack on another Galentine’s Day brunch, head to Little Snitch for a floral-filled celebration with martinis. You will create your own floral arrangement alongside a local floral artist while sipping on a Galentine’s Day–inspired cocktail. Reservations are $45 and include welcome bubbles, an interactive floral class, a handcrafted spirit, a take-home recipe card, and a goodie bag.
Join a Pilates Class
Get your Galentine’s Day weekend started with a little sweat. On Thursday, February 12, Reformed Pilates in Tempe is partnering with lululemon for a girl-power Reformed Pilates mat class. After the 60-minute (free!) class, you’ll head over to lululemon for a Sip, Snack, and Shop experience, complete with samples from Nothing Bundt Cake and LMNT. Be sure to bring your own yoga mat, a water bottle, and Pilates grip socks.
Hit the Shops
You can’t have a girls’ weekend without a little shopping. On February 13, head to Scottsdale’s Sip n’ Shop from 5 to 7 p.m. and browse your favorite spots in Scottsdale Quarter. Tickets are $20 and include a swag bag packed with goodies. While you shop, you’ll enjoy light bites, a complimentary glass of wine, live music, and all-around good vibes.
Paint it up
Calling all creative girlies! This one’s for you. Head to Chic Escapades in Mesa for a Galentine’s Day guided painting experience on February 13. Designed to be intentionally intimate and fun, the class includes wine and small bites, a photo op, plus games, contests, and prizes. Tickets are $60, and you’ll go home with a handmade keepsake to remember it all.
Attend an all-women’s film festival
Head up north for a Galentine’s Day night out at the No Man’s Land Film Festival, hosted by non-profit Girls on the Run. This premier all-women adventure film festival celebrates female voices, stories, and strength in the adventure and endurance space. Grab your girlfriends and settle in for an evening that will simultaneously inspire you and give back to the community. Your ticket directly supports girls in Northern Arizona. The night begins at 6 p.m. with a raffle and social hour, followed by inspiring films from around 7–9 p.m.
Hit the spa
You never need an excuse to spoil yourself, but if you want one, Galentine’s Day is the perfect reason to gather the girls and head out for a little pampering. Lucky for you, Scottsdale has no shortage of standout spas. If you’re in the mood to splurge, check out the Biltmore’s Galentine’s Day Package, which includes a $400 Tierra Luna Spa credit, a waived resort fee, and a few extra perks. Prefer something more lowkey? AWAY Spa’s “Berry in Love” facial and LeMond’s lineup of Galentine’s Day specials are both great options.
Visit a winery
What’s Galentine’s weekend without a little wine? Honestly, it’s kind of non-negotiable. Arizona might not be the first place you think of for wine country, but some of the best wineries in the West are right here, making it an easy and fun way to spend a Galentine’s day with your besties. With three distinct viticultural regions—the Verde Valley just north of Phoenix, Sonoita near Tucson, and Willcox in the southeast—there’s no shortage of places to sip your favorite whites and reds together. A few go-to spots to add to the itinerary: Alcantara, female-owned AZ Hops & Vines, and Aridus.
Attend the premiere of “Wuthering Heights”
Loosely based on Emily Brontë’s novel, “Wuthering Heights” hits theaters on official Galentine’s Day, February 13, with some showings starting as early as February 12. The original novel was published in 1847 under Brontë’s alias, Ellis Bell, and tells the story of the tragic, seemingly cursed relationship between Catherine Earnshaw and the troubled Heathcliff. What begins as a love story quickly turns into a dark tale of obsession, revenge, and even a touch of the supernatural.
Director Emerald Fennell, best known for “Saltburn,” takes on the challenge of reimagining this beautiful and devastating classic, making it a perfect pick for a Galentine’s movie night that leans a little dramatic. You can catch showtimes at Harkins Theaters, Galaxy Theaters, Majestic Neighborhood Cinema Grill, and the West Wind Drive-In.
Celebrate at home
Have a movie night
Nothing says Galentine’s Day like chick flicks and snacks. Invite your gals over, get comfy, and cue up a movie marathon that fits the vibe. You can lean into love with classics like “The Notebook,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” or “When Harry Met Sally.” If you’d rather celebrate friendship, go for feel-good favorites like “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” “Booksmart,” “Clueless,” or “The Breakfast Club.” And if you’re feeling a little anti-Valentine’s this year, break-up movies like “Someone Great,” “500 Days of Summer,” “La La Land,” or “Celeste and Jesse Forever” totally get it.
Make vision boards
Mix a little self-love into your Galentine’s Day with a vision board night. While vision boards usually happen in January, there’s no rule that says you can’t start dreaming things up in February, too. Vision boards are all about visualizing your goals, intentions, and the kind of energy you want more of this year, perfect for doing alongside friends who can hype you up and help you get clear on your vision.
If a full-on vision board feels like too much, go for a collage board instead and give it a theme. You could explore your personal style and fashion inspo, places you want to travel, music and lyrics that are meaningful, nature and outdoor moments, or even just things that make you happy (yes, puppies absolutely count). When you invite your friends, have everyone bring a stack of magazines to cut up and share, plus scissors and glue, and someone should be in charge of curating a good playlist!
Host an afternoon tea
Few things beat an afternoon tea, which makes it a perfect Galentine’s Day plan. Host an afternoon tea with a theme of your choice, something elevated but still fun and girly. Think “Pinkies Up.” Ask everyone to wear pink, then build the menu around it with rosy drinks and delicious treats. Start things off with a glass of sparkling rosé or a sparkling grapefruit mocktail, then settle in with pastries, tea sandwiches, and desserts. To keep it easy, have everyone bring one item to share. Set the table with pretty pinks and florals, and if you’re feeling extra, create a simple photo booth to capture the memories.
Enjoy a creative night
Being creative often means tapping into big feelings, and Valentine’s Day tends to bring up a lot of them. Why not lean into that and host a Galentine’s creative night with friends? Creativity looks different for everyone. Maybe one friend is painting, another is writing poetry or working on a book, someone’s knitting, and someone else is baking. However you access your creative side, setting aside a night to make something with people you trust is both grounding and genuinely rewarding.
