A romantic dinner with your significant other is a common staple of most Valentine’s Day dates. However, it can sometimes be difficult to find other suitable activities to supplement the evening and help you and your date create those special memories. That certainly isn’t the case this year with a plethora of unique events around the area over the next week or so to help you impress and entertain your valentine.

Here’s a look at just five of this year’s choices, which includes such diverse offerings as a fundraising Masquerade Ball at CADC Art Gallery, a movie screening with a live score from the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, indoor stargazing at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Cityfolk’s jazz saxophone concert with Grace Kelly and a massive dessert buffet-themed party at Dayton Art Institute.

For event details, see the list accompanying this article.

1: Valentine’s Masquerade Ball

Like it has every February since 2009, The YMCA of Greater Dayton Teen Department is once again celebrating this lovers’ holiday by hosting its annual Valentine’s Masquerade Ball Fundraiser. This year’s event — at the CADC Art Gallery, 45 S. St. Clair St., from 7 to 10 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 9 — offers music, dancing, food, drinks, door prizes and more.

“Last year was a big year for us,” said Jennifer Mueller director of youth and teen development for the YMCA of Greater Dayton. “We actually doubled attendance and how much we brought in.

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In addition to dancing, food and plenty of fun, the evening includes a silent auction featuring gift cards from local restaurants, dance lessons, gift baskets from area businesses, a Pilates package and an original painting.

“We do have a best mask contest, but you don’t have to wear a mask,” Mueller said.

“We will have some married couples there, but there will be a lot of single people there too,” Mueller said. “We’ll make the romance happen.

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Tickets are $35 per person or $60 per couple. Proceeds benefit YMCA youth and teen programs such as Junior Leadership Dayton, Teens in Action and Mentors Matter.

2: “Casablanca With Orchestra”

Given those close ties between romance, music and movies it’s no surprise music director Neal Gittleman has selected a classic Hollywood love story for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Valentine’s Day concert at the Schuster Center on Thursday, Feb. 14.

“Casablanca,” which won Academy Awards for best director, best picture and best screenplay, concerns the brief reunion between star-crossed lovers Rick and Ilsa. This tragic love story, which is set against the Axis conquest of Europe during World War II, could’ve been the plot of yet another throwaway Hollywood romance from the early 1940s.

However, lead actors Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, under the director of Michael Curtiz, elevated their roles above thin characterization to create two relatable humans struggling with love in the face of larger-than-life obstacles. Today, more than 70 years later, the film still resonates with audiences.

In the past, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra has provided the live score to such diverse films as “City Lights,” “The Wizard of Oz” and “Alexander Nevsky.” Most of these film scores, including “Casablanca,” were put together by longtime television producer John Goberman (PBS’s “Live From Lincoln Center”). Goberman has devoted years to making it possible for orchestras to accompany classic films live.

“John recreates the same system that would have been used in the studio when then soundtrack was originally recorded,” Gittleman said. “The conductor’s score has all the music, plus two kinds of cues. One kind shows where an action, image or word appears against the music. There are also time codes in the music that refer to a big analog clock that’s electrically synchronized with the film.

“In the old days, the actual practically-an-antique clock came with the movie,” Gittleman continued. “At the podium I’d have my clock and the video monitor of the film placed just behind the music so I could easily see everything. Nowadays it’s the same system, but the actual clock is replaced by a second video monitor showing clock’s hands spinning around in synch with the movie.”

While there are plenty of behind-the-scenes gyrations involved in making this unique show a reality, none of that will be visible to the audience when Thursday rolls around.

“Now that you know how it all works,” Gittleman said, “please forget everything you just read, and enjoy Rick, Ilsa, Sam, Louis and Casablanca — with your own DPO playing Max Steiner’s unforgettable score.”

3: Valentine’s Under the Stars

Stargazing with your significant other may be a common occurrence in the summertime, but it’s usually too cold to include an evening on the frozen ground staring at the heavens in a Valentine’s Day date. Of course, weather won’t be a concern when the annual Valentine’s Under the Stars program for adults returns to the Carl D Phillips Space Theater at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery on Thursday and next Saturday, Feb. 14 and 16.

“It’s a little chilly to go out and stargaze in February, but this way you have a nice, warm theater but the stars are still out,” said Kristy D. Creel, senior manager of marketing and public relations for the Dayton Society of Natural History. “It’s something that’s really unique to do for Valentine’s Day. And since we have the Laser Light Shows at the museum this weekend they may integrate the lasers into the Valentine’s Day themed show, as well, just as a little bonus.

“This is the first year we’ve done two nights,” Creel said. “In the past we’ve always done it the Saturday before Valentine’s Day and it always sells out. We thought we’d add an extra night in there and see if people would be interested in Valentine’s Day itself and then the following Saturday.”

This annual program, which was created by Boonshoft’s assistant director of astronomy Jason Heaton to compliment a Valentine’s Dinner date, runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and 8 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday and next Saturday.

“Each couple gets a flower and chocolates from Esther Price (candy store), and the 90-minute show,” Creel said.

“I’d say it’s better to make your reservations early rather than later because the shows do start to fill up,” Creel said.

4: Jazz Valentine’s Day

As a saxophone prodigy, 20-year-old jazz musician Grace Kelly literally grew up in music venues. She has already released eight albums, including

“Man With the Hat,” Kelly’s 2011 collaboration with jazz legend Phil Woods.

Her latest album, “Live at Scullers,” was recorded in the venerable Boston jazz club that she knows well.

Kelly will bring her skills to Dayton to perform in a Cityfolk sponsored Valentine’s Day concert at Gilly’s.

“The thing that’s different about creating a live CD for me is the fact that I’m thinking about how I can program the set for my audience,” Kelly said. “It’s not so much about the album or the concept, and it’s not only about how we can feature ourselves. But how can we capture the energy of the audience and more importantly connect with them?”

5: An Affair to Remember

Like romantic movies, music and star-gazing, the folks at the Dayton Art Institute know that chocolate is an integral part of any Valentine’s Day celebration and they’ve got just the event for the occasion. The DAI presents “An Affair to Remember” from 8 to 11 p.m. next Friday, Feb. 15. This giant Valentine’s Day blowout comes complete with live music, entrance to the museum and a massive dessert buffet from Elegant Fare catering in Cincinnati.

“What better on Valentine’s Day that chocolate and all its accompaniment,” said DAI associate director Jane A. Black. “Actually, the only thing I can think of that would be better is walking hand-in-hand with someone you love through the galleries and you can do that too.”

The dessert buffet includes assorted chocolate truffles, lavender shortbread cookies, mini red velvet cupcakes and Mascarpone Cream in Phyllo Cup with fresh strawberry.

“The Art Institute wanted all desserts, which is fun,” said Renee G. Fink, catering consultant for Elegant Fare. “I tried to get a nice variety to appeal to everyone. We try to keep the colors of Valentine’s Day without going overboard with pinks and reds, while still keeping some of that in there.

“There are always the chocolate things, but they wanted a chocolate fountain so, of course, that limited how many little bite things we did in chocolate,” Fink said. “We didn’t want to overwhelm them, but come on, what’s wrong with chocolate? The more the merrier. We keep it sweet and sugar them all up.”

The theme is based on the classic Hollywood romance “An Affair to Remember.”

“You may have seen this movie on TV or on Netflix, but you haven’t seen it until you’ve seen it on the big screen in the Renaissance Auditorium with our wonderful projection system,” Black said. “It is Carey Grant after all, and it’s one of the great romantic movies, so it’s a great match for the museum, which is full of classically beautiful art.

“One of the important points is it’s not just for couples,” Black said. “It’s great for longtime love birds, but it’s also a great night out at the museum. It’s going to be a perfectly comfortable place to be as a single. If you read about a Valentine’s Day party, you think it has to be couples, but it doesn’t. People don’t have to come in couples to have fun and celebrate Valentine’s Day and love and romanticism. They can come and do all of that at the museum.”

Advance tickets are $40 per person for members and $45 for nonmembers. Tickets at the door are $45 for members and $50 for nonmembers. More info: (937) 223-4ART (4278) or www.daytonartinstitute.org.