Valentine’s Day is typically associated with roses, chocolates, and candlelit dinners, but in 2026, a pair of enterprising businesses on opposite sides of the country are turning the holiday on its head. This year, Friday the 13th and Valentine’s Day have collided, inspiring a wave of spooky, unconventional events that are redefining what it means to celebrate love—and friendship—with a side of fright.
In Hurricane, Utah, The Farm Southern Utah has transformed its haunted house into a Valentine’s Day experience that’s not for the faint of heart. Dubbed “My Bloody Valentine,” the event promises a chilling blend of romance and horror, inviting thrill-seekers to trade in their traditional date-night plans for something far more memorable. According to ABC4, this is the first year the haunted house has opened its doors for Valentine’s Day, having previously reserved its ghoulish delights for Halloween and, more recently, a Christmas-themed scare fest.
“Ready for a scare with someone special?” asks Payton Fisher, owner of The Farm. He promises guests “like 12 minutes of hell,” with between 20 and 30 actors lurking throughout the haunt. These aren’t your garden-variety cupids and cherubs. Instead, visitors can expect to encounter monsters, chainsaws, zombies, and plenty of gore—plus a few twisted nods to Valentine’s Day itself. Fisher describes the new decorations as “popped balloons and other ‘yucky’ Valentine’s things,” ensuring that love is in the air, but not quite in the way most people expect.
Fisher has a clear vision for what sets this event apart. “It’s very, very scary, between 20 and 30 actors. There are monsters, chainsaws, zombies, and gore. It is, it’s horrible,” he told ABC4. But that’s exactly the point. “People love horrible and scary, so if you want to come have some scary fun, come on out.”
Unlike the standard Valentine’s routine—dinner, flowers, maybe a movie—Fisher believes a good scare can forge memories that last a lifetime. “We do the same things, we buy a card, we go out to dinner, we get some roses, and then you go to dinner and you’re done,” he said. “If you want to have something that literally will make memories that last forever, scare the hell out of your spouse, your girlfriend, or your boyfriend, give them a treat that they’ll never forget.”
The experience is designed to be both intense and accessible. The haunt takes between 10 and 12 minutes to walk through, making it a quick—if heart-pounding—stop on any Valentine’s weekend itinerary. Adding to the thrill, actors are allowed to touch guests, heightening the sense of immersion and unpredictability. Tickets are available for those brave enough to step inside, and based on past seasonal events, the turnout is expected to be strong.
Fisher’s team has been experimenting with off-season scares for a while now. “Instead of doing it just for Halloween, we did it for Christmas this year,” he explained. “We had a Night Scared before Christmas. It was a great turnout and people got terrified.” The success of these experiments paved the way for “My Bloody Valentine,” giving couples (and daring singles) a new way to celebrate romance—by facing their fears together.
Meanwhile, in Bangor, Maine, another business is taking a slightly less terrifying—but no less creative—approach to the holiday. The Emporium Spooky Goods & More, a local shop specializing in all things eerie, is hosting a free movie night that combines the spirit of Galentine’s Day with the ominous overtones of Friday the 13th. As reported by WABI, the event is all about celebrating female friendships, with a double feature screening of “Valentine” (2001) and “Jawbreaker” (1999).
“We do movie nights here in the shop sometimes. We haven’t done one in a while because we’ve been busy with other events,” said Kaddie Sharpe, co-owner of The Emporium Spooky Goods & More. “But we just have people come and bring snacks, bring drinks. We have a TV here in the shop so we move things around and have people come and watch a movie.”
The event is a nod to Galentine’s Day, a holiday that puts friendship front and center, rather than traditional romantic relationships. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own snacks and drinks, but the shop is sweetening the deal by providing free pizza. Space is limited, so guests are asked to RSVP in advance via email—a small price to pay for a night of camaraderie and cult-classic cinema.
“Just a really cool way to double up on Galentine’s Day and one of our Friday the 13ths for this year,” Sharpe told WABI. The Emporium, located on State Street in Bangor, has developed a reputation for quirky community events and has been teasing mysterious news about its future on social media. Movie nights are just one of the ways the shop brings people together, turning an ordinary Friday evening into something special.
Both events reflect a broader cultural trend: the blending of horror and romance, and the rise of alternative celebrations that challenge the status quo. Whether it’s couples braving a haunted house in Utah or friends gathering for a spooky movie marathon in Maine, people are seeking new ways to connect—and maybe get a little scared—on a holiday that’s often associated with predictability.
What’s driving this shift? For some, it’s the thrill of doing something unexpected. For others, it’s about creating shared experiences that go beyond the usual dinner-and-a-movie routine. As Fisher points out, “If you want to have something that literally will make memories that last forever, scare the hell out of your spouse, your girlfriend, or your boyfriend, give them a treat that they’ll never forget.”
In a world where holidays can sometimes feel formulaic, these offbeat events offer a refreshing twist—one that embraces both the dark and the delightful sides of love and friendship. Whether you’re holding hands in a haunted house or splitting a slice of pizza at a cult film screening, this Valentine’s Day proves that there’s more than one way to celebrate the people who matter most.