Couples go the extra mile to celebrate Valentine's Day in Center City

Love was all over McGillin's Olde Ale House, where couples dined by the fire.

Beccah Hendrickson Image
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Couples go the extra mile to celebrate Valentine's Day in Center City
Couples go the extra mile to celebrate Valentine's Day in Center City

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Couples celebrated Valentine's Day around Center City on Wednesday, doing everything from ice skating to having a romantic dinner out on the town.

At Dilworth Park, couples like Lumi Koroma and her boyfriend Mohamed Bangra dressed to the nines.

"We just wanted to be fancy, you know? Just change something up a little bit," said Koroma.

They opted for dinner and a show after, of course, spoiling each other with gifts.

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"I got a picture frame with like a picture collage, purses, clothes, a lot more," she said.

For other Center City love birds, love was on ice at the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink, which hosted a couples skate.

"Honestly, he planned everything, so I'm just going along. I just put on an outfit," said Sidnei Daniels from Overbrook.

She said she was working on convincing her beau to give skating a whirl.

"I like how it's the one time a year that everyone is so down just to be sparkly and pink and happy and the hearts. I love that. I love how everyone is just a little in on it," she said.

Love was all over McGillin's Olde Ale House, where couples dined by the fire and enjoyed "heart beet" salads and burgers made with extra love.

"Any opportunity to celebrate and be festive and decorate the bar just makes the experience for all of our customers a lot better," said Christopher Mullins Jr., the owner.

Part of what makes Valentine's Day at McGillin's so special lies in the pages of their guest books. The bar has couples that either met there or went on their first date there sign the book and give them pictures.

Some of these people come back to celebrate Valentine's Day together.

"We have hundreds if not thousands of couples that have met here over the decades and it's a place where they celebrate their love," said Mullins.

Love was in the air throughout the city, and someone like Dajhai Peek was excited to see Cupid's arrow strike.

"My favorite part about Valentine's Day is loving people who love me. But we do that every day. But it's just that day today," she said.