PEMBROKE, NH – We all know Valentine’s Day as the holiday of flowers, bonbons and showering our significant others with affection. It’s an enthralling day for those who are taken, much less so for everyone else.
Whereas many events taking place on this chocolate-drenched day of love are catered to couples, this year will feature a new type of Valentine’s day celebration ensuring that singles no longer need to feel left out.
Madear’s Southern Eatery and Bakery in Pembroke is known for its convivial atmosphere and lively events. Owners Robb Curry and Kyle Davis spent most of last year relocating from Hanover Street in Manchester to Pembroke’s petit main street.
Since the move, they’ve hosted socially-distanced events such as a Veterans Day Dinner and an Ugly Sweater Dinner Party to celebrate the holidays. Now, Curry and Davis are turning their attention to cupid, with the hope of giving a handful of single people a chance to meet someone special.
The event, called “Friends & Blind Dates,” is a multi-day experience where people play matchmakers for their single friends.
“We didn’t want to do just a Valentine’s Day dinner, [so we] figured this would be way more interactive and [helps with] social distancing,” said Curry and Davis.
Participants fill out a form online before being assigned to one of the two preliminary sessions. During the session, friends converse with other friends about the people they’re trying to match. Attendees are strongly encouraged to bring some flattering pictures of their single friend.
The sessions will feature refreshments courtesy of Angela’s Pasta and Cheese Shop in Manchester, as well as an open bar for drink purchases.
The friends return on February 1, when Madear’s hosts their mashed-up version of “The Dating Game” and “Match Game,” the classic game shows from the 1960s-1980s. The top matches will meet for the first time on Valentine’s Day and experience a special dinner, free of charge.
“Dinner will be a 5-course prix-fixe menu and everyone dining on Valentine’s Day will have allotted time slots again for social distancing. The menu for Valentine’s Day will be a romantic one outside of our normal menu,” said Curry and Davis.
The dinner will have a romantic vibe, while still preserving the energetic liveliness expected from an experience at Madear’s.
Madear’s is known for promoting inclusivity, and this event is open to folks of all sexual orientations. Curry and Davis want everyone who walks through the door to feel comfortable.
“Unlike a lot of blind date events this is very inclusive, nonjudgmental. Madear’s is a safe space and this environment allows for friends to match friends with true connections,” Curry and Davis said.
The sessions are to take place on January 18 and 25 (friends only need to attend one). Sign up online at https://madears603.com/friends-blind-dates/ for some fun nights of match-making. There’s no deadline and signing up is completely free.
It’s the only event around that gives singles the opportunity to mingle over plates of heart-warming food. That’s southern hospitality at it’s finest.
Find them at 141 Main Street in Pembroke, NH
