IQD IS . . .

International Quirkyalone Day is a do-it-yourself celebration of romance, friendship, and independent spirit. It's a celebration of all kinds of love: romantic, platonic, familial, and yes, self-love. International Quirkyalone Day is not anti-Valentine's Day. It's NOT a pity party for single people. It's an alternative--a feel-good alternative to the marketing barrage of Valentine's Day and an antidote to the silicone version of love presented in shows such as Hooking Up and The Bachelor.

Above all, IQD is a celebration of romance, freedom and individuality. It celebrates true romance (as opposed to the fake versions presented to us in reality dating shows), independence, creativity, friendship, and all kinds of love--including love for yourself.

If you are single, International Quirkyalone Day is a call to arms to celebrate the possibilities available to single people today. If you are partnered, IQD is a vital reminder to value yourself and develop your individuality even when in a couple.

Couples (especially quirkytogethers, of course) are welcomed to attend. After all, many a partnered person complains about the contrived nature of Valentine's Day.

Quirkyalone Day is based on the ideas in Sasha Cagen's book Quirkyalone: A Manifesto for Uncompromising Romantics. It's an invitation to create a great day for yourself, whatever that means to you (and your partner if you have one and choose to celebrate with him or her). It's a day to celebrate the things you love to do alone and the things you love to do with your friends. Ways to celebrate include: throwing a dinner party, buying yourself new underwear, rearranging your furniture, taking a long walk without your cell phone, exploring a new part of town, organizing a card-making party, trying a new recipe, or coming to or hosting a quirkyalone party.

The first-ever celebration of IQD in 2003 featured parties in San Francisco, New York, Providence, Rhode Island, and Glasgow, Scotland. The parties resulted in worldwide media coverage, beaming the quirkyalone message of love and empowerment around the globe.

The second annual International Quirkyalone Day was celebrated in bars and cafes in Bristol, U.K., London, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Seattle, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Providence, Albuquerque, St. Paul, Atlanta, Madison, and San Francisco.

The third annual IQD was even bigger. It was celebrated in 24 cities around the world: Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Chicago, Illinois; Edwardsville, Illinois; Eldridge, Iowa; Houston, Texas; Las Vegas, Nevada; Los Angeles, California; Lynwood, Washington; Madison, Wisconsin; New Delhi, India; New York, New York; Norristown, Pennsylvania; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Ontario, Canada; Owings Mills, Maryland; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Rock Hill, South Carolina; San Francisco, California; Sedalia, Missouri; St. Paul, Minnesota; Sterling, Colorado; Sydney, Australia; Utica, New York; and Washington, DC.

Plans are now underway for the SIXTH ANNUAL International Quirkyalone Day 2008. If you are interested in hosting your own soiree, we have resources to help you. Check out the party tips and the downloadable party pack online.

Be creative. The possibilities for your party are endless. In 2005, in Eldridge, Iowa, a librarian organized a quirkyalone party at her library and invited a minister to come talk about her solo travels throughout the world. In Baton Rouge, a group of quirkyalone friends sang karaoke. North of Seattle, the bookstore manager at Barnes & Noble organized a quirkycrafts party at her store. Madison quirkyalones have gone "Cosmic Bowling"-- bowling with strobe lights!

In San Francisco, we have developed our own traditions--we always have a quirkyalone-card making table, an alone-time table (that usually attracts social activity), a name-that-quirkyalone classic party game, and a raffle. This year we'll raffle off copies of the new paperback Quirkyalone. To check out the 2005 SF party, watch this short movie How to Start Your Own Holiday by Sasha Cagen and Kara Herold.

On the party tips page, we give you more ways to spread the word, but for starters, go to the online community of this site to post the time and place of your gathering, and mail us at info@quirkyalone.net so we can help.