Love is in the Air

By Leigh Wills

OK fellas, you’re officially under the gun. Valentines Day is less than a week away, so if you want to stay out of the doghouse, you better start making plans for a romantic evening with your special lady.

Fortunately, you have plenty of local options, and some special promotions will even help you save some money.

Main Street in Hendersonville currently goes by a new name: Lovers Lane on Main. Sixteen downtown merchants have partnered up to offer Valentines specials and discounts. The way it works is simple: Two businesses pair up, like Inn on Church and Narnia Studios. People who do business at the Inn on Church will receive a “valentine” in the way of a discount off flowers at Narnia Studios. Likewise, Narnia customers will get a coupon to the Inn on Church for a free dessert with the purchase of a dinner.

“It’s a great way to cross-network, and it’s a lot of fun,” said Barbara Hughes of Narnia Studios, who came up with the Lovers Lane on Main idea six years ago.

The promotion runs through Sunday, Feb. 14. The Lovers Lane on Main business pairings are the following:

Mikes on Main and the Sundries Shoppe

Mountain Home Interiors and Wickwire

Express Yourself and Nana’s Antiques

Sherman’s Sports and Dancing Bear Toys

Jongo Java and Never Blue

Dad’s CATS and Marble Slab Creamery

Kilwins and Mrs. G and Me

Inn on Church and Narnia Studios.

Several other Downtown Hendersonville businesses are also offering Valentines Day specials on everything from art and jewels to dinners and a romantic room at local inns. To see all the specials being offered, go to http://www.downtownhendersonville.org and click on the Valentine.

A popular Valentines tradition in Fletcher also continues this weekend when the town’s Parks and Recreation Department holds its annual Father/Daughter Dance. There are actually two dances held Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Calvary Episcopal Church fellowship hall. The 6 to 8 p.m. dance is sold out, according to Cheyenne Youell, event supervisor with Fletcher Parks and Recreation.

But dads wishing to spend quality time with their daughters can still get tickets to the 3 to 5 p.m. dance. “We have a few tickets left. We’ll be selling them through Thursday,” Youell said.

Tickets cost $12 for fathers and $6 for daughters if they are Fletcher residents. The cost for non-Fletcher residents is $17 and $8. Tickets can be purchased at the Fletcher Town Hall.

According to Youell, the dances have become quite popular through the years.

“It’s probably one of our more popular events,” she said. “It’s one of the few events that doesn’t seem to be affected by the economy. It’s become a tradition.”

People wishing to know more about the Fletcher dance can go to http://www.fletcherparks.org/events/fatherdaughter.html or call Youell at (828) 687-0751.